My Succubus Wife
by NinjaGamerFF
Summary: Sequel to My Succubus Girlfriend. Several years have passed since Naraku and the Order were destroyed. Inuyasha only wants to live a normal life with his new family. Easier said than done when a new enemy surfaces, and this time, human's are the target.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any characters associated with it. This story is rated for a mature audience.**

**Citrus Warning (For entire story) **

**Now that I have a fair amount written, I will start uploading it. This story is a fairly radical change from the first one. I am hoping it offers more drama than its predecessor. While this can stand on its own, I strongly recommend you read "My Succubus Girlfriend" first if you have not already.**

*******************

Anxiety, terror, anticipation; these were just some of the many emotions running through Inuyasha as he sat at the small, two-seat table. It was an upscale restaurant, even for New York. It was the sort of restaurant where Inuyasha could have saved for years to only afford a single appetizer; that is if they even let him past the plush welcome mat. Sitting around him were not simple folk, they were the rich of the rich; the crème of the crop. Powerful people including governors, senators, and celebrities—even foreign royal families frequented this place. In the years of traveling with Kagome, Inuyasha was no stranger to being among powerful people, but those were different. They held a different sort of power. It was the physical kind—or magical depending on the type of demon. No matter the number of ways that they could kill him with a simple wave of their hand, he was never paralyzed by fear; not like this. This atmosphere was of a completely different level to anything he had felt before. It was almost as if he could feel the massive egos crushing him-- and his companion did not help matters. While he was used to her presence drawing attention, Inuyasha thought that being around rich, powerful and beautiful people would allow them some respite to the stares. He was wrong. Even among the beautiful elites, heads still turned to follow her. Men walking by still snuck second, third, and even forth glances. It was frustrating. Tonight was a night he wanted to blend in—to be anonymous. The more his thoughts focused on the people in the restaurant, the more he realized his paralyzing fear probably had little to do with their stares.

"You need to relax," Kagome said, gracefully lifting her wine glass, twirling it, before seductively tipping the red liquid into her waiting mouth. "People are watching." She pressed her red lips together as her eyes secretly scanned from side to side, examining the others around them as she set the glass back in its place. She was wearing lipstick and makeup, a rare occurrence for her. She was not the type of woman who needed it. Kagome radiated the natural beauty models dreamed of. Inuyasha would have a hard time finding a normal human woman who could compete in looks. It was to be expected though. Kagome was, and always would continue to be, a succubus.

"Sorry. I'm just—not used to this kind of atmosphere." He was sweating, eyes darting from side to side as he ran his sweaty hands along the pants of his tux. The tux was another item he would never have owned only a few years ago. The price tag had been enough to take his breath away. He felt odd that he wasn't the one paying. Kagome was. The current arrangement made him feel more than a little guilty, like he was some sort of leech feeding off her. Unfortunately, there was no possible way for him to change things. Kagome's family had built their wealth over centuries—an easy task when one did not age. It was hard to picture Kagome as being over one hundred and thirty years old when she looked no older than twenty.

"You were the one who wanted to come here." She leaned towards the table as she spoke. Instantly, his eyes gravitated towards her chest. The strapless crimson dress she wore pressed tightly against her breasts and hugged the curves of her body. His throat tightened as he forced himself to meet her eyes.

"Ah—yes well, I wasn't expecting something quite so—upscale."

She smiled, knowing full well where his attention had just been. "It's nice to come to these types of places every once in awhile."

Grabbing his glass, he took a large swig of his wine. To the others in the restaurant, his behavior was no less than obscene. It was an insult to drink wine this expensive as if it was poured from a twelve dollar bottle from the local convenience store. To him, he could care less. The wine was only a means to an end—the end of being tipsy enough to loosen up. Kagome noticed it however, shooting him a glare as he finished off his glass.

"You could at least _try_ to act a little cultured."

"Sorry," he muttered, feeling his cheeks burn.

She took a deep breath, releasing it slowly. She continued in a low whisper. "Besides, it will affect your performance tonight." He knew what she meant. Her _real_ meal was not the luxurious lobster she had ordered, but him—or rather his life energy.

"I'll be fine," he protested as he glanced over in surprise as a waiter magically appeared beside him, refilling his glass. As quickly as he came, the waiter vanished after a small nod. Inuyasha glanced over his shoulder, trying to figure out just where the waiter had been watching from.

"Yes, _you_ will be fine. Remember the last time I fed off you when you were drunk?" Inuyasha was silent as he dug through his memories of the past two years. Slowly, he shook his head.

"I don't really remember—"

"_I_ had a hangover for a week," she growled, her eyes like daggers. The memory slowly came back to him, a smile creeping across his face. He instantly knew that was the wrong reaction and quickly killed the smile before he angered her farther. "I don't want a repeat experience."

The food arrived seconds later. For Inuyasha, the fattest and juiciest steak he had ever seen in his life. Of course it was served rare – the way real men eat it. Kagome had an equally massive lobster that was glistening with butter and lemon juice. A trio of women two tables over longingly eyed the lobster, did a quick appraisal of Kagome's figure, glanced mournfully at their own salads, and glared daggers at the side of Kagome's head. The waiter quickly disappeared, leaving them alone once more. The two ate mostly in silence. The few conversations that did break the comfortable silence were nothing more than casual observations and simple topics.

After Inuyasha and Kagome finished the last of their meals, the waiter returned to collect the plates. Inuyasha frowned as he once more tried to discover how the staff magically knew when to appear to replenish the wine and collect plates. "Are you ready?" Inuyasha turned back to look at Kagome. She looked anxious.

"Hmm?"

"For the trip back to Japan. It's been over a year."

"A year?" Inuyasha took a deep breath, releasing it slowly as he leaned back in his chair. "It seems like it's been longer."

She smiled as she placed her restless hands on the table. "Are you going to finish your classes?"

He nodded. "Might as well. I only have a few left thanks to your mom. I would have never thought that I could get class credits for traveling the world."

"We owe you for all you've done—more than we can ever hope to repay."

Grinning, he felt his cheeks heat up. "You've done more than enough for me already. Not many people can say they traveled the world. Even fewer have seen what I've seen."

"I'm glad you enjoyed the travels."

"I had a great traveling companion." This time, it was Kagome's turn to redden. She unconsciously pressed on the large bun that was her hair as she looked away. He watched her for several seconds, enjoying the sight. Reaching for his glass, he took a healthy swig. _It's now or never._ Knowing him, he would never work up the courage to ask again. The question was eating away at him and there would never be a better opportunity. "We've been through a lot these past two years."

"Good and bad," she said with a smile.

"More good I hope." While she did not say anything, the expression she wore told him what he wanted to know. With a smile, he continued. "But our adventure seems to be ending."

"Maybe this one, but I'm sure there is a new one waiting for us back home."

"I was thinking the same thing," he said as he casually reached into his pocket. Tilting her head slightly, she gave him a bewildered look. He took a deep breath as he wrapped his hand around the felt box. "Two years ago, we had a long talk. I remember two things we promised each other. One, there would be no secrets. Everything, good or bad, we share with each other."

"I remember," Kagome whispered, shifting uncomfortably in her seat.

"The second—a subject was named taboo. You told me that if I wanted a second chance, I would have to purge all thoughts of it." She nodded slowly, unsure of where this was going. He took a shaky breath. He knew his hands were shaking below the table, out of sight. "I'm afraid I can't keep both promises."

"I'm not sure I understand."

"Kagome, I love you. Every day for these past two years, I have only grown to love you more. Spending day after day with you—I don't want these days to end."

She smiled. "I don't either."

"But I've been keeping a secret from you." She looked shocked, but before she could say anything, he rushed on. "The more time I spend with you, the stronger my thoughts become. I can't stop them, I've tried again and again to no avail. Kagome—" Gathering his remaining courage, he pulled his arms up to the table, extending the small box towards her as he opened it. "Will you please marry me?"

She froze, her eyes never leaving the ring. Five seconds passed. Ten. Fifteen. Twenty. Inuyasha's heart thundered in his ears as he sat, staring at her frozen expression. After thirty seconds, she finally moved, her eyes locking to his. _Oh God…_ For a brief second, his mind changed its mind a hundred times as to whether he wanted to hear the coming answer.

"Inuyasha—" That single word seemed to answer everything. Shoulders sagging, he felt as if an enormous weight had been removed from his shoulders only to be replaced in his gut. _This was a stupid idea._ Even so, he needed to try, even if he knew it was doomed to fail. As his head lowered, he caught her nod as she covered her mouth with her hands. This time, it was his turn to be confused.

"You mean—" She nodded some more, looking away. "Really?" Disbelief was audible in his voice.

"Yeah," she nodded, smiling brilliantly as she wiped a tear away.

"But I thought—" He stopped. Marriage had always been a taboo subject. Two years ago, she had made it quite clear that if he chose to be with her, he would have to throw out any hope or plans for marriage. He had proposed for himself, fully expecting to get shot down. He was overjoyed she accepted, but at the same time, it left him perplexed.

She took the ring, sliding it into place. His arms turned to jelly, sinking slowly to rest against the table. She eyed the ring happily before turning her attention back to him. "I had always thought the best way to protect you was to keep my distance, no matter how painful it was. I feared that if we got too close, I would inevitably hurt you."

"So what changed?"

"These past two years we spent together, I've realized you are a lot stronger than I originally thought. I can't promise it will be easy, but if it's you—" Her voice caught in her throat.

"If it's me?"

She smiled. "I think I can be your wife."

*******************

**This is just the introduction. The second chapter will be much longer. Many thanks to Jay for his time editing.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any characters associated with it. This story is rated for a mature audience.**

**Citrus Warning (For entire story) **

*******************

**Two Years Later**

On the day of their wedding, Kagome had restated the fact that things wouldn't be easy. Inuyasha had been around Kagome long enough to know that nothing was easy around her. Unfortunately, all the experience he had acquired while traveling with her was useless now that he faced his greatest challenge: parenthood.

The sound of rapid thuds against the wood floor alerted him to something zooming towards him. He looked up just in time to brace himself against the impact of a small body as it slammed against him. A pair of eerily familiar brown eyes looked up at him as the girl made small jumps, barely able to contain her excitement.

"Daddy! Mommy is taking me to the park!" Yumi said, continuously tugging against his pants. Smiling, he casually swept the excited girl off her feet; mostly to prevent her from pulling his pants down. Laughing, she squirmed in his arms as he struggled to keep a hold of her. She was growing at an alarming rate. It would only be a matter of time before she was too big for him to pick up. The realization of just how quickly she was growing pained him. Yumi had been 'conceived' the night of the wedding; the ritual binding her life essence held by the Shikon Jewel to her body. After a quick three month pregnancy, Yumi was born.

Inuyasha quickly discovered that raising a succubus child would be far more challenging than a human one. For an exhaustive year, Kagome breastfed an insatiable Yumi using energy collected from him. It was a year filled with sleepless nights and tired days. When Yumi reached a year old, Kagome stopped breastfeeding. Since then, Yumi has done nothing but grow. Had he not seen the amazing transformation over the past several months, he would have never believed it was possible, even with all the things he had seen in his life. One moment, Yumi was nothing more than a newborn baby, barely able to lift her own head. Today, she looked like she was four and she was growing faster each passing day.

"Is that so?" he asked, finally getting a good grip on the squirming girl.

"Yep! Are you going to come too?" She stopped, her eyes meeting his.

Sadly, he shook his head. "I have to work today." Her lower lip jutted out in a pout. It was painful seeing her sad face. He wanted to call it off and go with her but it couldn't be done--not today. "Sorry." He gently lowered her back to the ground, setting her on her feet. Looking up, he found Kagome leaning in the doorway, arms crossed with a small smile on her face. Though her appearance had not changed over the years, there was something about her that made her infinitely more attractive. She seemed to radiate an aura of maturity, something she never had before Yumi was born. She wore low jeans and a tight blue shirt. The days of mini-skirts and skimpy clothing were over; something Inuyasha was both relieved and saddened by.

"What's with that look?" he asked, playfully giving her a suspicious look.

"Oh nothing," she said. Crouching, she gestured for Yumi to come over to her. Lifting her up, she gave Yumi a wide smile as she tapped her nose playfully with an index finger. "You're going to drive all the boys wild." Inuyasha frowned. He knew it was inevitable, but that didn't mean he enjoyed being reminded of Yumi's future as a succubus. Kagome detected his discomfort, her smile widening. "Is something wrong?"

"I really wish you wouldn't say things like that."

"What? It's true." Looking at Yumi, she pressed her nose against hers, causing Yumi to giggle. "Isn't that right?"

"I know, but I just don't want to be reminded of it." Currently, Yumi was in a tomboy phase. She refused to wear any of the dresses Kagome had bought for her. Her black hair was cut as short as her mother would allow it, which ended up just above the shoulders. Yumi was aggressive and refused to do 'girly' things, preferring to play with the boys at the playground rather than with the girls. Unlike Kagome, Inuyasha had no problems with her boyish behavior.

"Daddy's so sweet," Kagome said, continuing to brush her nose against Yumi's. Her expression grew serious as she looked over at Inuyasha. "So today's the big day."

"Today's the big day," he repeated, taking a deep breath as he ran a mental checklist to see if he had everything. In all honesty, Inuyasha didn't need to work. The house, bills, everything was paid for by Kagome's mother who had collected a massive fortune over the past several centuries. There were also the investments his parents had left him after they died. The choice to work was due to other factors. He never felt comfortable freeloading off his mother-in-law, even if she could care less about money. The biggest reason was because of Miroku. Unlike him, Miroku didn't have the luxury of marrying into a rich family. So, to help him out, he helped create a small software company. It had been a tough year, but it would all be worth it if they managed to get today's contract.

Setting Yumi down, Kagome crouched down to be eye level with the girl. "Why don't you go pick out what to wear to the park today?"

"Okay!" Yumi said before turning to look at Inuyasha. "Bye Daddy!"

"Bye sweetie," he answered. Yumi made a disgusted face, cutely scrunching her nose, before she took off down the hall. Taking a deep breath, Kagome rose to her feet, watching as their daughter disappeared around a corner. Smiling, she turned her attention back to Inuyasha. Running her hands across his chest, she slowly moved them to the red tie at his neck.

"Is it going to be a late night?" she asked softly, delicately fixing his tie.

"I hope so." She froze, giving him a glare. "Err, I don't mean it like that. It's just a late night would mean celebrating a signed deal and—"

"I know what you meant," she said, interrupting him. She pulled him closer, their lips almost touching. "I was just giving you a hard time." Lips finally meeting, she opened her mouth to allow his tongue access. They broke for a brief breath before resuming their passionate kissing.

"I—I really have to go," Inuyasha said, struggling to break away from his affectionate wife. At the moment, it was the last thing he wanted, but if he didn't apply the brakes, he wouldn't be leaving for awhile. As they separated, Kagome gave him a knowing smile.

"Looks like I'll have to wait for my meal tonight after all."

"Sorry." He said, slowly moving past her. He glanced down at his watch. _It's going to be a long day…_ "Tonight, I promise."

Smiling, she nodded as she followed him down the hall. At the door, he quickly put on his shoes. Standing, he took a deep breath, facing her again. They kissed briefly before he opened the door. "Tonight," he repeated.

"Tonight," she said, smiling. "Good luck today," she said as he stepped out the door. Nodding, he closed the door behind him.

*******************

Kagome watched from the sidelines as Yumi ran and scaled the side of one of the playgrounds structures. She was in a match with several of the boys, seeing who could run the fastest, climb the fastest and swing the highest. She was stubborn when it came to competitions like that. She refused to admit defeat, not that she had trouble putting the boys in their place. Kagome knew Yumi was strong. Her demon powers had yet to manifest and she was already far ahead of her male peers.

"Just a few more weeks," a familiar voice said behind her. Turning, she found Kikyo moving towards her. "Hello Mother."

Kagome shook her head. "I really wish you wouldn't call me that." She opened her arms, hugging her sister tightly. "Welcome back," she whispered before releasing her. "How was England?"

"I think I liked the selection in America better. Anyways, _Mother_," Kikyo added quickly, eyeing Yumi with obvious envy. "She's gotten big since I last saw her."

Kagome smiled, ignoring Kikyo's jab and turning back to watch Yumi as she jumped victoriously from on top of the climbing structure. "Every day she gets bigger." She shook her head as she continued. "I don't remember growing up that fast when I was her age."

"That's probably because we didn't. Mom had to be much more subtle when collecting energy when we were young. She didn't have the luxury of being married to a human battery, and a very powerful and delicious one at that." Kagome glared at her. "What? Am I wrong?"

"No," she finally conceited, "But that still doesn't mean I like hearing you talk about him like that."

"Relax, it's not like I'm asking to sleep with him or anything."

"Yet," Kagome added quickly.

There was a moment of hesitation before a sly smile crossed Kikyo's face. "Yet." A long silence fell over the two as they watched Yumi wrestle with some of the boys, easily pinning them to the ground before moving to the next challenger. "Are you ready for the ritual?" Kikyo asked suddenly, breaking the silence.

"Physically? Yes. Emotionally? No. I just don't like how quickly she's grown up."

"What about Inuyasha?"

Kagome took a deep breath before releasing it slowly. "I haven't talked to him about it much. He always seems to shy away from the subject when I try to bring it up. That and with his work—I really think he wants her to stay like this longer."

"He doesn't have to work. You two _do_ know that right?"

"I know, but he isn't working for us."

"Right, Miroku."

"Sango as well. They are living together now."

Kikyo rested her hand on Kagome's shoulder, giving it a comforting squeeze. "Really, I don't know how you do it."

"Do what?"

"Put up with Inuyasha. I would think that being married to a succubus would loosen him up about the whole sex thing, especially since he was a total man-whore in college."

She glared at her. "He's a shy guy. I think it's cute. And he wasn't a man-whore," she added as an afterthought.

Kikyo gave a nonchalant shrug. "Speaking of sex… how is the married life going? It's been awhile since we talked."

"Great."

"But?"

Kagome smiled. "You caught that huh?" There had been a slight hesitation before she had answered. _Leave it to her to pick something like that up. She's like Mom._ Still, she remained silent.

Placing her hands on her hips, Kikyo frowned. "Come on, spill it."

Sighing, Kagome looked over at her sister. "Okay, but this is between just us." Kikyo nodded excitedly. "Well, I feel a little…unsatisfied."

Kikyo floundered for words, her mouth working silently before she finally closed it. After a moment, she finally managed to find her words. "Unsatisfied? You? From what Anna and Eiko have told me about him—" She stopped at Kagome's glare. "Sorry. Please, continue."

"It's not the sex. The sex is fantastic…when we have it."

"Uh-oh."

Kagome continued her rant; the gates that had been suppressing her concerns and frustrations for so long finally open. "I mean, he acts like it's a chore! I can't help that I need it to live! Why do we even have this problem anyways?! Isn't he a man? Shouldn't it be _me_ who wants a break? Just because Yumi's in the house—And what is his problem with talking about Yumi anyways? Why does he always get so damn skittish when we start to talk about her future? She can't stay a little girl forever! She may be able to survive on regular food now, but in the future, she's going to need to collect energy if she is going to survive."

Kikyo stood in surprised silence as Kagome continued her rant for another ten minutes. Finally, Kagome took a deep breath before exhaling, closing her eyes briefly. "Feel better?" she finally asked, feeling it was safe to speak again.

"Much. Thank you," Kagome said with a sheepish smile, suddenly feeling embarrassed about going off like that. However embarrassing it was, she needed it. Sango was her usual release partner, but Sango had been busy helping Miroku for the past several weeks.

"So basically, you want more sex," Kikyo said suddenly, breaking the silence. Looking over at her sister, Kagome was silent for several seconds.

"I really hate how you just compressed my ten minute rant into sexual frustration, but more or less, yes, that's exactly what I need."

"Well it's an easy problem to fix, especially for us," Kikyo said with a wide smile.

Kagome narrowed her eyes. "With my husband."

"Oh, well, that I can't help you with." Kikyo studied Kagome's face, seeing the concern in her younger sister's features. Sighing she bumped Kagome, causing her to stumble off-balance.

"What was that for?" Kagome spat angrily.

"Making sure you are paying attention. I don't give advice often, so the least you could do is listen to it." Taking a deep breath, she continued. "Tell him exactly what you told me. I've lived with many men over the past centuries. They are quite clueless when they come to picking up on things. If something is bothering you, tell him. It's the only way he is ever going to know something is up." She smiled. "Besides, Inuyasha is an understanding guy. He's been with you all these years hasn't he?"

Thinking it over, Kagome slowly started to nod. "I'm going to have to eventually, if only about Yumi…"

"Oh, another thing…"

"Yeah?"

"Make sure you talk to him _after_ you have sex. Something tells me the conversation isn't going to be the best of mood setters."

Kagome chuckled nervously. _If only that wasn't true…_

*******************

"So how's the sex life?"

"Excuse me?" Inuyasha asked, looking away from the screen to glance at Miroku. Despite his question, Miroku continued diligently plucking away at the keyboard. After several seconds, he finally peeled his eyes away from the screen to look at Inuyasha.

"You—the wife? I figure you two _are_ still having sex considering she's still alive." He paused. "Or did your marriage finally graduate to an open one?"

"This is hardly the place for a conversation like this and frankly, it's none of your damn business."

"Still that bad huh?" Miroku nodded slowly before continuing his work.

"Still? Bad? Wait, what?"

Sighing, Miroku looked back at Inuyasha. "In case you haven't forgotten, Kagome and Sango are wonderful friends--friends that share all sorts of things that I couldn't possibly begin to imagine. I just so happen to live with Sango. So, unfortunately, I get to hear all sorts of things." There was a pause. "Or fortunately, in a disturbing, voyeuristic sort of way." He frowned, thinking to himself. "I guess its okay since Kagome's in it and I forget it's my best friend that's bang—"

"Okay, seriously, enough." Inuyasha shook his head, trying to push the terrible thoughts from his head about his friend. Turning back to his work, he had only begun typing when he faced Miroku again. "Wait, you mentioned bad?"

"Well not for _you_ apparently if you're asking." Inuyasha sat back against his chair, stunned. _She thinks it's bad?_ He had to admit, they didn't get to do it as much ever since Yumi had joined the family, but he never thought it was _bad_.

"I had no idea. I've been so busy here--"

Seeing the uneasy look on Inuyasha's face, Miroku looked around before scooting closer. "I wouldn't read too much into it. To be honest I wasn't really paying attention to Sango. Maybe it was just a one-time thing?" Considering all their lovemaking sessions were pretty consistent, his friend's attempts to cheer him up did little to help his mood.

"Wasn't paying attention? Is that so…" Both turned quickly to find Sango standing there, a folder tucked under her arm as she stared at Miroku.

"Ah, but by that, I meant—"

"Later," she said, cutting him off. "Right now, we have more important things." She looked over at Inuyasha. "Is something wrong?"

"Huh? Oh, no," he said, trying to force his mind to focus on the present. Still, Miroku's words haunted him. _What am I doing wrong?_

"If you say so…" She didn't sound convinced, but she didn't press. "Anyways, the people from VOX Corp are here." She took a deep breath. "I hope you two are ready, because I'm not."

Miroku chuckled nervously. "Wonderful, and here you're supposed to be the most prepared out of all of us." Snapping his fingers, he got Inuyasha's attention. "Push everything aside. We need to focus here."

"Right. Sorry," Inuyasha said, running a hand through his hair. Looking around, he began gathering his needed materials. "Let me just get my stuff…" Once everything was collected, he went through a mental checklist, making sure he had everything he needed.

"Ready?" Sango asked anxiously as Inuyasha stood.

"As ready as I'll get."

"Let's do this!" Miroku finished, leading the way. Taking a deep breath, Inuyasha followed.

*******************

The lead representative for VOX Corp wasn't what Inuyasha had expected. Considering he had spent many hours on the phone with a man when he was trying to get this meeting, he had expected a man to represent the company. Instead, it was a gorgeous blonde named Avery Hurst. That didn't mean there weren't men with her, but she was the one doing all the talking. There was also something about her that was different, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what it was.

Inuyasha knew immediately that it would be a tough sell. Despite her looks, Avery had an all-business expression. The fact that Miroku was more interested in her ample chest than the material didn't help. With Miroku's attention elsewhere and Sango's attention on him, the responsibility for getting the contract signed rested solely on him.

"Your promising a lot from software that isn't even built yet," Avery said, looking up from the several sheets of paper resting before her. It had been nearly three hours since the meeting started.

"I wouldn't say it hasn't been built yet. We are currently running a Beta version here on several machines. All of the major bugs have been fixed. In another week or so, it should be ready to ship."

She looked down at the papers again. "You're asking for a lot."

"The program does a lot."

Her eyes met his. "And you're an untested company."

"We've provided your company with the software and have continued to provide patches as we've developed them. I hear your technical people were more than satisfied with the program."

One of her eyebrows rose. "So I've heard… which is why I've been told to accept your offer."

Suddenly, it felt as if a massive weight had been lifted from his shoulders. To his right, both Sango and Miroku breathed a sigh of relief. "T-that's great!"

Avery smiled for the first time since they had met as she extended her hand towards Inuyasha. He took it; her hand was surprisingly delicate in his. "We at VOX Corporation appreciate the effort and time you've put into this program. You're going to save us a lot of money in the coming years." She leaned over, taking her briefcase and setting it on the table atop the papers. Her smile widened as the briefcase snapped open. "Now comes the fun part—our specifications."

Inuyasha resisted the urge to groan. _Here I thought it was over._ Keeping a smile on his face, he began reading his copy.

*******************

While Inuyasha had no desire to prolong the work day, protocol dictated that he had to accept the offer to join the VOX representatives for a drink after the specifics had been worked out. When they left the office, it had been close to eight in the evening. He had no idea how long they had been at the bar, but judging by how loud things were getting, it had been some time.

Miroku and Sango sat across from him, each drinking merrily. At this point, Inuyasha was convinced they were drinking more because the fact it was free rather than what they had originally been celebrating. Two of the men that had come with Avery were chatting happily to some girls while the last yelled loudly into the karaoke microphone. Still mostly sober, it was painful to listen to. Those that were drunk didn't seem to mind and cheered the man on. Beside him sat Avery, watching the festivities with her cool blue eyes. Like Inuyasha, she wasn't drinking much.

"I take it you're not enjoying yourself?" Inuyasha said, leaning closer to Avery so she could hear him over the noise.

"I could say the same about you," she responded with a smile, lifting her glass to her lips.

He shrugged. "There are a few places I would rather be. Not that I don't appreciate being here," he added quickly. _Have to be careful. They are still customers._

She laughed. "I'm with you on that. This is merely for them," she said, gesturing with her glass to the men with her and to Sango and Miroku. "Happy employees are hard-working employees—or that's the theory anyways."

"Well my employees are always happy," Inuyasha said, looking at Miroku and Sango. They were more business partners than actual employees, but that was just a minor technicality.

"Hmm, that's what you think." She tipped her glass against her lips, taking a sip of the liquid inside.

"What?"

"Oh, nothing."

He narrowed his eyes, intrigued by what she meant. "Tell me."

She took a deep breath, looking over at him. "You may find this strange, but I sometimes get—vibes from people. Usually it's nothing specific, just a feeling." Smiling, she looked away, shaking her head slowly. "This is really strange, sorry, forget I said anything."

"No, no," he said, urging her to continue. If anyone here was going to believe her, it would be him. _This could be the reason why she feels different._ "Please, continue."

"Well, it's pretty accurate. It's one of the reasons why I'm where I am in my career today."

"So you get the feeling that Sango and Miroku are unhappy?"

She hesitated, half-shaking her head. "No, I think it's a little more complicated than that. She is worried, while he is confused. Sorry, I can't really describe it that well."

Inuyasha didn't know if the two were having problems. He had never noticed anything, but he couldn't be too sure if he could trust his judgment. Sango was an expert at keeping things secret and acting, so picking up anything from her would have taken a miracle. As for Miroku, he was his best friend. Being so close sometimes meant not noticing something big.

He smiled. "No, I think you did fine."

She gave him a doubtful look. "You don't believe me."

Laughing, he shook his head. "I believe you. This is a lot more believable than some of the things I've seen in my life."

Avery tilted her head to the side, giving him a curious look. "Oh? Like what?"

"Ah, well—" He froze, looking at her. None of the stories he had were something he could tell just anyone. At the same time, he had to give her _something_. After all, she just shared something that was obviously very personal to her. "There was this one time, in South America—"

"You've been to South America?"

He nodded. "I've traveled to a lot of places."

"I know how that feels. South America is one of the few places I _haven't_ been to." Her eyes widened as she suddenly realized she had interrupted his story. "I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it. So in South America, I was exploring some ancient ruins when I noticed a little girl at the far end of one of the hallways. I was in a tour group, so I thought it was one of their children who had wandered off. When I got close, she ran off." He paused to study her expression. She was completely engrossed in the story. "I followed her, but when I looked down the hall she had gone, there was no one there." There was a long silence.

"You're bullshitting me! That was way too predictable!" she said, playfully slapping his arm.

He smiled. "I kid you not. There was no one there. I checked and there was nowhere else to go."

"So you're saying you saw a ghost?"

"I believe I did." The truth behind the story was different. He and Kagome had gone to a temple in South America inhabited by a group of specters. While creepy, they were actually quite friendly and interesting to talk to; unlike a lot of things, because they really couldn't be classified as anything else, Kagome had introduced him to on their travels.

She smiled as she stared at him. "My intuition was right about you—you're an interesting guy."

"Is that the 'vibe' you're getting off me?"

She shook her head. "I get something quite different."

"Is that so?"

Nodding, she rested her hand on his leg. Even in his slightly buzzed state, the action sent up warning flares. "I'm sure we could slip out without anyone noticing at this point."

He knew exactly what she was proposing. With a nervous chuckle, he brought attention to his left hand, or more importantly, the ring on it. "As tempting as that is…"

She removed her hand quickly, her face reddening. "Oh, God, I'm sorry—I didn't know—err—I knew you were married, I just thought—" She took a deep breath, looking down as she rested her head against her hand. "I feel like such an idiot."

"It's fine." From her reaction, he wondered if she had ever been rejected before. If she had, it wasn't often. With her looks, it was no wonder.

She shook her head. "It's just--I'm usually right about these things, I don't under—" It looked like she had a sudden epiphany. Her blush deepened. "Oh God, I'm so stupid. Of _course_ I was getting that from you. You're thinking of your wife."

For a brief second, he wondered what exactly she was picking up from him. Eventually, it sunk in. In the back of his mind, he was still thinking about what Miroku had told him earlier about Kagome. He knew that she was waiting for him to return so she could eat. Now that he was thinking about it, the urge to return home quickly faded slightly.

"It's fine, really," he said, still caught up in the awkward flow of conversation.

Taking a deep breath, she paused before looking at him. "I think I'm going to go sing for a bit."

He watched as she finished off her drink, standing quickly. "Uh, yeah, okay," he said, eyes following her as she passed by him to walk towards the stage. Letting out a relieved breath, Inuyasha ran a hand through his head. _That wasn't awkward or anything._ Movement across the table caught his attention. Miroku and Sango were locked in a passionate kiss, Sango slowly crawling atop him. Frowning, Inuyasha reached forward to pull the half-empty liquor bottle towards him. "Yeah, I think that's enough for you two as well."

Closing his eyes for a brief second, he leaned back in his seat. _And the day's not even over…_

*******************

By the time Inuyasha returned home, Kagome was exhausted. Yumi was always so full of energy and it was tough for Kagome to keep up, especially when she hadn't had a proper meal in three days. The conversation she had been dreading would have to wait for another day. All that concerned her now was her upcoming meal. Luckily for her, Inuyasha was a more than willing partner when he returned. With Yumi asleep, Inuyasha was much more willing to revert back to his previous self before they were married; passionate, unrestrained and a little forceful.

Kagome's clothes were off before she was through their bedroom door. As hungry as she was, there was none of the usual foreplay. Pushing him back onto the bed, she quickly crawled over him, running her hands over his bare chest as she leaned over to kiss him. She let the kiss linger several seconds longer than usual, knowing that this would be the last kiss until they were finished. Knees on either side of him, she rose up. Taking hold of his erection, she positioned it at her entrance before slowly lowering herself onto him.

One of the things she missed in her life before Yumi was not worrying about the noise. While she had never been a screamer, there were moments when she became quite vocal during lovemaking, particularly in the years leading up to their marriage. Now, she had to spend effort to keep quiet. To keep quiet, not only did she have to move at a more moderate pace, something she never enjoyed, but she couldn't be as forceful as she was used to. It was true that it took them longer to finish, but what was the point of prolonging something that she wasn't enjoying to the fullest?

Hands pressed against his chest, she made small up-down movements. The room was near-silent, the only noise being the sounds of their heavy panting. She remembered the days when they made the bed squeak below them. It was a sound she had grown fond of, one of the reasons why she picked the mattress over others. Now, it barely moved under them.

She knew that this was a difference in culture. She had never quite understood why humans viewed sex the way they did. Being the only effective way to continue the species, sex was important. Yet humans always considered it almost as a taboo subject and kept it behind closed doors, very rarely discussing it in public. Those who embraced sex were seen in a negative light. It was true things were changing, but it was only until recently that the changes began.

For her, sex was never hidden and she was exposed to it at an early age. Her mother never made any efforts to hide the fact she was having sex. There were far worse things than witnessing your parents having sex, especially when you were raised with the mindset that sex wasn't an evil that had to be hidden. Witnessing an inquisition or two guaranteed her far more horrific sights. She wanted to prepare Yumi for the future like her mother had prepared her. Unfortunately, there were parts of her culture that Inuyasha would never accept. Though she may have wished otherwise, she understood the need to respect his desires. There were things he had to give up to be with her, it was only fair she made her own concessions.

After an antagonizing long time had passed she finally reached climax. Biting down on her index finger, she kept quiet as the refreshing heat of his energy poured into her. The urge to scream steadily left her as she continued to suck energy from her lover. Finally satisfied, she lifted herself from his exhausted form, settling down beside him. Knowing he was too tired to move, she helped pull the covers over them before snuggling against him. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes, enjoying the warmth of his body and the satisfaction of a good meal.

"I have to ask you something," he whispered softly, breaking the pleasant silence that had settled over them.

"Okay," she said, not opening her eyes. Her voice sounded detached, like in a dream.

He shifted slightly beside her. It was probably the best he could manage so soon after she fed. "Are you—satisfied?"

Her eyes shot open, her head tilting slightly so that she could examine his face. Her heart pounded as she spoke. "O-of course I am! Why do you ask?"

There was a hesitation before he answered. "Miroku told me you weren't satisfied."

"Miroku?" She frowned. "What would Miroku know?"

"Nothing—but apparently Sango does."

_Shit, I should have figured something like this would happen._ It was true she had told Sango a version of what she had told Kikyo earlier. It didn't bother her that Sango had told Miroku, but the least she could have done was tell him to keep things to himself. _What am I saying? Of course Miroku would tell Inuyasha these things. He's his best friend._

"Inuyasha—"

"Why didn't you say anything? Do you know how it feels to be told by your _best friend_ how _my_ wife isn't satisfied in bed?"

She didn't like his tone. He was angry and hurt. It was painful to listen to. "I told her not to say anything."

"That's beside the point!" The volume of his voice was increasing. "This isn't Sango's fault."

_I have to calm him down before he wakes Yumi._ Her waking up in the middle of this argument wouldn't be the best of things, especially with the two of them being naked. Inuyasha was just barely keeping his temper in check as it was.

"We can talk about this," she started.

"Oh, so _now_ you want to talk? After everyone _but_ me knows about the quality of our sex life? That's a private matter!"

She sat up, the covers falling off her onto her lap. Inuyasha was still too weak to do much more than small movements. "Damn it Inuyasha, they already _know_ we have sex! So what if we talk about it? We're all adults."

"Oh, so you want to talk about sex?"

"A little openness wouldn't hurt."

"Fine, let's start with you then! Why don't you tell me about your first time and we'll work our way up to the present? I'll take off work for the next couple _months_ and we can have a _nice—long—talk._"

Her mouth dropped in shock. _He did_ not_ just say that!_ She was horrified. He knew her past was a touchy subject. They had agreed to let the past remain the past. He wouldn't ask about her past and she wouldn't ask about his. At the time, she knew she was getting a better deal, but for him to bring it up now…

Tears ran down her face as she glared down at him. "Like you were any better; I did it to survive. What's your excuse?"

His fists clenched in anger. "At least they told me if it was good or not!"

"Do you know why I'm not satisfied?" She could barely keep her voice steady. "It's because you always treat it like a _chore_, like you _have_ to do it!" He had a surprised look on his face. "When was the last time _you_ initiated something? I remember when I couldn't keep you off me. Now—now I have to practically _beg_ you to touch me."

"T-things are different now with Yumi—"

"Don't make her your excuse!" she shouted, cutting him off. "In two weeks, we will perform her Ritual of Initiation. Her demon powers will awaken and the little girl you know will be a woman. A _woman_ Inuyasha! And just like me, she will need energy to survive." Before he got a chance to respond, she continued, not wanting to end the momentum she had gathered. "She may look like a child Inuyasha, but succubi grow far faster than you can ever imagine. When I was her age, I knew what my parents did at night. I knew why my mother left in the evening and didn't return until the morning. Maybe if you were around more often, you could see that."

His features darkened. "That's not fair. I have to work."

"No you don't! Sango told me they had a handle on the project weeks ago! My mother can—"

"I don't want her help!" he shouted.

"Why?!" Her voice was slightly louder than his.

"Because I don't want to be involved with that world any more than I have to!" he yelled.

There was silence as Kagome stared at him through teary eyes. Her voice was barely a whisper as she spoke. "Then why did you marry me?"

"Mommy?" Yumi's soft voice cut off any response. Quickly wiping the tears from her eyes, Kagome glanced over her shoulder to find Yumi standing at the door, rubbing her eyes. She mentally kicked herself for letting her emotions get the best of her. Instead of calming Inuyasha down, she had escalated things to the point where their yelling had disturbed Yumi's sleep. "What's going on?" she asked sleepily.

"I'm sorry honey; Mommy and Daddy were talking too loud, weren't we?" While she tried to keep her voice lighthearted, intense emotions kept her from keeping a level tone. Getting off the bed, she moved towards the door. "Come on, let's go back to bed." Kagome knew Inuyasha was furious, but so was she. _Let him sulk. _Placing a hand on Yumi's back, Kagome guided her back down the hall towards her room.

"Mommy, why are you naked?" she asked, eyeing her curiously.

Smiling, Kagome crouched in front of her daughter. "Your Daddy and I were playing a little game."

Her eyes brightened, the sleepiness vanishing. "Can I play too!?"

Giggling, Kagome pressed her nose against Yumi's. "No, it's a game only Mommy can play."

Yumi pushed her bottom lip out in a pout. "But I want to play too!"

"You will get to play all sorts of games like it, but you need to grow up first."

The young girl stomped her foot. "I want to grow up now!"

Kagome felt her smile falter at her daughter's words. "Come on, back to bed for you." With obvious reluctance, Yumi marched over to her bed, letting Kagome pull the covers over her. "Goodnight," Kagome said, kissing her forehead. "Love you."

"I love you too," Yumi answered automatically.

Kagome watched for several minutes as the girl gradually drifted back to sleep. Taking a deep breath, she pressed her hand against her forehead. Even though she had just eaten, she could feel a sense of exhaustion creeping over her. Looking down at Yumi's sleeping form, a thin smile formed on Kagome's face. If her mother had been in her position, she would have made it clear what she had been doing. Kagome passed on the opportunity, deciding to sugarcoat the truth. It was what Inuyasha wanted. For the moment, she would follow along. Once they worked things out…

She ran a hand gently through Yumi's short hair, worry etched on her face. _Things _will_ work out… right?_

*******************

**And that's it for the first chapter. Again, much thanks to Jay for editing things and to those who left a review.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any characters associated with it. This story is rated for a mature audience.**

**Citrus Warning (For entire story) **

*******************

Stepping into the terminal, Dante pulled the sunglass from his face. He felt weird wearing them so early in the morning. Folding them, he carefully slid them into his right pant pocket. People walked past him, some casting annoyed glances over their shoulders at the uncouth fool standing still as they passed. He ignored them, instead focusing on his new surroundings. Even though the airport looked nearly identical to other airports, he welcomed the openness. After nearly sixteen hours in coach crammed between two large gentlemen, even the uniformity of the airport was a blessing.

An announcement over the speakers brought him back to reality. First, the woman relayed the message in Japanese before switching over to flawless English. He took a deep breath. "So _this_ is Japan."

Moving with the rest of the crowd, Dante headed towards the baggage area. He had always been interested in ancient Asian cultures and had visited many different countries over the years, yet never had the pleasure of visiting this one.. Unfortunately, there would be little time for sightseeing; he had business to attend to.

After a twenty minute wait, he was able to collect his luggage and head towards the south exit. He was almost at the door when he noticed a large blonde man holding up a small sign that read _Dante Rizzo_. He sighed, shaking his head slowly. _I said I didn't want anything fancy. What's wrong with getting a cab?_ He did wish he had taken the offer for first-class seating on the flight over. He had forgotten that coach seats provided very little leg room.

"I'm Dante," he said, stepping up to the man with the sign.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Rizzo. My name is Erik. I was told to help you get settled in. Anything you need - let me know - and I'll make it happen."

Dante narrowed his eyes. He knew full well why the man was here. "I don't need a babysitter."

Erik gave him a broad smile. From the look of him, Dante guessed the broad-shouldered man was Russian. The higher-ups were seemingly obsessed with having them as the muscle of the organization. With his hair shaved close to his head and his muscular form, he certainly fit the stereotype for a bodyguard.

"You're an important man in the organization. They want to ensure your unique skills are protected."

"I take it you are fully briefed on my visit then?" Dante asked, shifting his bag from his left hand to his right.

"Yes sir," Erik said, taking the bag from Dante.

"Then you should know better than anyone I don't need someone to protect me."

"Sorry sir, I'm just following orders. In the unlikely case something _did_ happen to you…"

Dante nodded, understanding the man's reluctance to leave him alone. While it was unlikely that something would happen to him, Erik's punishment would be quite severe if something _did_ happen. "Then lead the way," he said, gesturing towards the exit.

Erik nodded and moved towards the door with Dante close behind. Outside was a limo. Opening the door, Erik motioned for him to enter. Frowning, Dante slid inside and the door quickly closed behind him. There was a thump as the trunk slammed shut. Seconds later, he heard Erik enter the driver's seat.

"So how long have you been here?" Dante asked.

Erik pulled the limo smoothly from its parked spot and towards the exit. "Three years," the man answered, head locked forward.

"You like it here?" Dante could see the large man's smile in the rearview mirror.

"The women here are nice, if you like them small."

_Wonderful,_ Dante thought sarcastically. Luckily, he was after bigger game than local women. He glanced out the tinted window as they left the airport's loading area, briefly wondering if the limo was going to be able to fit on the road.

"I can introduce you to some good places if you're interested," Erik continued, eyeing him through the rear-view mirror.

"No thanks," Dante answered, politely shaking his head as he held his hands up. _I'll have plenty of that in the days to come. _He sighed. The flight had exhausted him more than he thought it would. "How far is the hotel?"

"Thirty minutes or so, depending on traffic. At this time of day, it should only be twenty."

"Can you wake me when we get there?"

"Yes sir."

"Great." Dante closed his eyes, scooting down in the big leather seat. As he drifted off to sleep, his mind was filled with thoughts of things to come.

*******************

Inuyasha awoke to find he was alone in bed. Even though Kagome didn't need sleep, she still kept him company at night, cuddling against him until morning. The fact that her usual spot in bed was cold meant she either got up early or never came back after their argument. He guessed the latter.

Rolling out from the covers, he rested his feet against the cold wood floor. A shiver ran up his body, temporarily relieving him of his grogginess. Standing, he shuffled towards the bathroom, running his hand over his face. Giving his right shoulder a firm kneading, he slowly spun his arm in wide circles. All his muscles seemed stiffer than usual, even after Kagome ate. Stepping into the bathroom, he hit the light as he closed the door behind him. He rolled his neck slowly as he stared into the mirror, frowning. With black rings under his eyes and his face paler than normal, he looked like crap. Groaning, he turned the faucet on before splashing his face with cool water to perk him up before turning the shower on.

He didn't fight with Kagome often. They had their problems, but Kagome had the patience of a saint. She kept her calm and talked things out with him. It was hard for him to stay angry when she didn't yell back at him. The fact that she was almost always in the right didn't help either.

Letting the hot water wash over him, he rested a hand against the cold shower tile. _I shouldn't have said that…_ His mind replayed the argument over and over. _'Then why did you marry me?'_ Her words still echoed in his head. He hadn't meant it like that, and it was a good thing Yumi had entered the room before his anger made him do or say something he would _really_ regret. For his entire life, he had been conditioned to believe that, as a man, it was his responsibility to protect his family. If either Kagome or Yumi were in danger he would do anything to ensure their safety. But after all he had seen in his travels, all he had learned about Kagome's world and the people who lived in it, he knew that even his best was far from adequate to protect either of them. If something were to happen, there was little he could do to stop it; and the thought frightened him.

_If we just keep our distance…_ He took a deep breath. That dream was fading fast, and the reality that it was a dream was something he needed to accept. As much as he wanted to deny it, the simple fact remained that both he and his family would never be the 'normal' family he had been raised in. Yumi would never have a childhood like his and he would never get to experience the type of fatherhood his father experienced. She would never go to school and make friends. She would never get the chance to cause trouble for her teachers. He wouldn't go to parent-teacher conferences or visit the classroom. He would never get to help her with her homework or other little things like that.

Shutting off the water, he stood motionless, letting the water slowly drip off him. Kagome was right, like she usually was. Yumi was special and though he didn't like admitting it, he was in no real position to make decisions on how to raise her. He didn't know demons existed until he met Kagome and even after all these years, there were still many things he didn't know. He needed to trust Kagome's judgment on the best way to raise Yumi. _Something I should have just done from the start._

Stepping out of the shower, he nearly collapsed as his legs shook weakly under him. Grabbing the door for support, he looked down in surprise, his strength returning as quickly as it faded. Cautiously, he released his grip on the door as he put weight back on his legs.

"That was weird," he muttered, shaking his head as he reached for the towel. _Kagome must have been really hungry._ He took a deep breath at the thought, releasing it slowly. _Another thing I have to work on._ The fact that she took so much made him realize just how hungry she had been and how distant he had become. Before, he would have recognized the signs that she was beginning to weaken before she said anything.

After drying himself, he moved from the bathroom to the closet. Changing into jeans and a white t-shirt, he moved towards the dresser where his cell phone rested. Opening it, he held down the speed-dial. After five rings, someone answered.

"Yeah?" Sango whispered with a hoarse voice. From how much she had been drinking when he left, her hangover must be terrible.

"Sorry for calling you so early, but I wanted to ask you if I could take a couple days off."

There was a pause where Inuyasha imagined Sango blinking owlishly. "It's Sunday. We don't work on Sunday."

"I mean this week." There was another pause. "Sango?"

"Yeah? Sorry." There was yet another quick pause. "Of course you can. Take as many days as you need. Miroku and I can handle things for awhile."

"You sure?"

"Inuyasha… Take a few days… Spend them with your family. Please."

"I will."

There was a faint groan in the background. "Ugh. Hanging up." The line went dead.

Closing the phone, Inuyasha took a deep breath as he eyed the bedroom door anxiously. _Now the hard part..._ Leaving the bedroom, he slowly crept down the hall before peaking in the kitchen. Kagome stood at the stove cooking. Yumi sat at the table, looking up as he appeared in the doorway. Her face lit up and she opened her mouth as Inuyasha pressed a finger to his lips. With a massive grin, Yumi nodded in understanding as he crept into the kitchen. Stepping behind Kagome, he slowly slid his arms around her waist. Before he could completely encircle her, she spun to the side, stepping out of his arms and moving beside Yumi.

"Eat up," she said, sliding the scrambled eggs onto Yumi's plate.

_She's still mad,_ Inuyasha thought as Kagome brushed past him to grab the toast and set it on the plate.

"Kagome I—"

"Make sure you eat all of it," Kagome said, ignoring Inuyasha as she ruffled Yumi's hair. Inuyasha quickly followed Kagome out of the kitchen, hoping to get the chance to talk. Unfortunately, she didn't seem to be in the talking mood as she didn't slow her pace as she moved down the hall.

"Kagome, I'm sorry," he said, reaching for her arm. He stopped, almost running into her as she spun around to face him. "Last night, I didn't mean—"

"Yes you did," she said curtly.

He thought for a moment, choosing his words carefully. "Last night was bad."

"You think?"

He ignored her snide comment and continued. "Can we please just talk about this? Yesterday was a long day. I was tired and having all that suddenly dumped on me…" He took a deep breath. "Look, I'm really sorry."

She continued to stare at him, anger still etched into her face. Throat tightening, he stood frozen as the seconds slowly ticked by. Finally, her face softened as she released a heavy sigh and looked down. "I'm sorry too. I should have talked to you about things, not Sango." Relaxing, he reached out to hug her only to have his hands swatted away. "This doesn't mean I'm not angry with you anymore."

"It doesn't?"

She shook her head. "You're sleeping on the couch tonight."

"What?!" A thin smile formed on her face, she turned and continued off down the hall. "But you don't even need the bed!" he cried. "Wait! Kag-o-me!"

*******************

Sango dropped the phone as soon as she hit the disconnect button, causing it to clatter nosily on the floor. The loud noise echoed in her head, pounding against the inside of her skull. Groaning in misery, she grabbed at her temples as she rolled onto her back, the ceiling spinning above her. As the pain in her head gradually subsided, she began to notice the cold air of the apartment against her skin. Eyes closed, she lazily ran her hand down her body, confirming she wasn't wearing clothes.

_Why is the air conditioning on?_ She thought, noticing the low hum that reverberated through the room. Opening her eyes, she carefully pushed herself to a sitting position, her right hand against her forehead in an attempt to keep her brain from jumping out of her skull. _What the hell happened last night?_ She closed her eyes and tried to think back. They were all at the bar celebrating the merger. She and Miroku were drinking… and things got fuzzy from there.

Looking down at her nude form, she found some trace of the previous night's activities dried on her stomach and legs. Among the clothing scattered around the apartment, she found no evidence of used condoms, meaning Miroku hadn't used any… again. She couldn't get angry however as a wave of nausea quickly washed over her. Holding her hand against her chest and closing her eyes, she took long, deep breaths, trying to calm her upset stomach and keep its contents where it belonged. After several seconds of the breathing exercise, the urge to puke faded. Opening her eyes, she made plans to move to the bathroom when something caught her eye. Frowning, she leaned forward with a shaky arm to lift it from the floor. Bringing it to her face, she studied the black bra. A chill ran through her that had nothing to do with the air conditioning. Her mind, once groggy from the sleep and hangover, kicked into gear as she noticed the size. Dropping the bra, she looked around in shock. _That's not mine!_

Shakily getting to her feet, she stumbled over loose clothing and tried to keep her balance as she half walked, half tripped to the tiny bedroom she shared with Miroku. As she expected, Miroku lay passed out across the bed, face down and completely nude. What she didn't expect was another woman. Like her, the woman was completely naked, a content look on her face as she slept comfortably with Miroku's arm draped across her stomach. While she still couldn't remember the exact events of the night, she could begin putting pieces together of what had happened. Clenching her fists, she fought to keep calm, the sudden movement causing the nausea to return after the initial shock receded. She knew she shouldn't be angry at finding another woman in bed with Miroku. It wasn't the first time she had shared Miroku in their long, and complex, relationship. But those were few and far between, the last being several months ago when their relationship had been more open. _Not to mention he hadn't—_She stopped herself, quickly pushing the thought away. She didn't want to think about that. Not right now. In a way, it was her fault their relationship was breaking down. Right now, she didn't want to acknowledge that. Instead, she focused on the woman. It irritated her how obvious it was who had dominated Miroku's attention last night. Only after the initial revelation had faded did Sango realize she knew the woman.

_Of all the women at the bar, it just had to be Avery,_ she thought, beginning to shake her head before the nausea caused her to stop. She settled on resting a hand against her forehead. _Now things are going to be awkward… We still have to work with her!_ It was true that they had signed all the preliminary papers, but there were specifications to the software that had to be completed. Once that was finished, the final papers would be signed and the software and payment would be exchanged. All the communication between the two companies would be handled by one person: Avery Hurst.

Leaving the two to continue sleeping, she headed for the bathroom. It was a cramped apartment for two people, but the fact they had their own shower made it worthwhile. She felt a little better with the lukewarm water soothing her skin, even though it did little to help her pounding head. As quickly as her body would allow her, she cleaned herself off and shut off the water. It was lucky if one person had hot water. With three, someone was going to have to suffer through an ice-cold shower.

Sneaking back into the bedroom, she grabbed a t-shirt and a pair of sweats from the dresser and threw them on. Rubbing her arms, she turned the air conditioning off before stepping into the small kitchen to make breakfast. Scratching her head, she glanced inside the refrigerator to take stock of what they had. Besides a supply of bottled water, it was nearly barren. _That's right… I haven't been shopping lately._ She closed the door, casting an annoyed glare back at the bedroom. _He could pick up groceries every now and then._ After nearly a minute of rummaging through the kitchen, she scrounged up a few eggs and some bread.

"Um…" The voice caused Sango to jump and spin around in surprise. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," Avery said in a subdued voice as she held a shirt against her chest. Sango recognized it as one of hers. It didn't hide much.

"Morning," Sango said, trying to clear the awkward atmosphere by keeping her tone casual. "The bathroom is over there if you want to take a shower and get cleaned up."

"Uh… thanks," she said, looking around in embarrassment at the clothes scattered over the floor.

"I'll lend you some clean clothes," Sango said quickly as the other woman began collecting her clothes from the floor. She let her eyes sink to the other woman's chest in envy. Sango knew she had a slightly above average bust, especially in Japan. Avery on the other hand…

Nodding, Avery collected her clothes and headed for the bathroom. Sango took a break from the kitchen to get a large t-shirt and her biggest pair of jeans. Holding the pants in the air, she bit her lower lip. _This should be long enough._ The problem wasn't the waist, but the height. Avery was a few inches taller. Folding them, she knocked gently on the bathroom door before opening it slightly, setting the clothes on the floor.

"Thank you," Avery said from the shower.

"Sure," Sango answered before quickly retreating back to the kitchen. _I hope she likes her eggs scrambled._ Splitting the eggs evenly between two plates and stacking a few pieces of toast on them, she carried the plates to the small table. The eggs were gone, meaning Miroku would be stuck eating toast. _Like he deserves anything better,_ she thought angrily. She spent the next few minutes cleaning clothes and other articles off the floor and tossing them onto the couch before settling down in her spot. Avery appeared moments later, her hair still wet from the shower.

"I made some breakfast. Sorry it's not much. I wasn't expecting guests."

The woman blushed as she hurried over to the table, sitting across from her. "No it's fine! Thanks… for everything. I'm sorry for imposing." She bowed her head slightly towards Sango. The resulting silence stretched out as the two began to eat. Sango studied her carefully as she ate. Looking up, Avery noticed her stare and reddened. "S-something wrong?"

"Ah, sorry," Sango said, quickly looking down at her food. She resisted the urge to sigh. _This is every bit as awkward as I imagined it would be._ "I was just thinking you don't seem to have much of a hangover."

Avery smiled shyly. "I didn't drink as much as you two."

"I suppose you remember what happened last night?" She watched as Avery's face turned a deep red.

"You don't?"

"Not a thing. The last thing I remember, we were still in the bar." She paused for a few seconds before continuing. "I can only guess."

Her tone must have seemed angry, because Avery's eyes widened as she bowed her head again, deeper this time. "I'm really sorry about this. I—we were drunk, but I was sober enough to say no if I wanted but—"

"Woh there, slow down! I'm not angry."

Avery looked up, surprised. "You're not?"

"No. This isn't the first time."

"It's not?" She seemed genuinely surprised. It looked as though she was about to say more when she snapped her mouth shut.

"Something wrong? You're not acting like your normal self." _Or at least, like you were yesterday when I met you._

"I'm just… this…" She gestured towards Sango and herself. Sango knew it wasn't directed at her.

"First time?"

Avery nodded slowly. "Never have I thought I would be involved in something like this. I've been with married men before, but not when their wives were in the room."

"Oh, we're not married," Sango said quickly, waving the statement away.

"I thought he said—"

Sango shook her head, smiling as she gritted her teeth. Her headache was getting better, but the movement of her head still made her stomach queasy. Now loaded with food, the last thing she wanted was to throw up. Sango fought to keep her emotions in check, biting softly at the inside of her cheek. She was still trying to get over the fact the closed relationship she had enjoyed and built with Miroku over the past several months had just completely collapsed in a single night.

"Is something wrong?" Avery asked suddenly, interrupting her thoughts.

"Hmm? Did you say something? I was in my own little world there," she said a little too quickly.

Avery was silent for a moment, a look of concern etched into the soft features of her face. She sensed something worrying Sango. "You love him, don't you?"

Sango nodded slowly. "Yeah."

"I'm sorry," she said, looking away.

"So am I…"

*******************

Miroku woke nearly an hour after Avery left. Sango was sitting on the couch watching TV as he casually strolled into the room. _At least he has enough sense to put something on first,_ she thought as he pulled at the waistband of his boxers.

Glancing around, his attention focused on the kitchen. "You make breakfast?"

"Yes," she answered dryly, staring at him. Without looking, she tapped the remote, silencing the TV. _I hate how he never seems to get hangovers. _Her head was fine now, but her stomach was still a little queasy.

"Great! What is it?" he asked as he wandered into the kitchen.

"_We_ already ate it."

Miroku glanced over his shoulder. "What's with the attitude?"

She shot to her feet. "You know what it is," she growled. "I thought we were past this! Besides, _Avery?!_ Of all the women in the bar, you pick _Avery?!_"

"What's _your _problem?" he asked defensively, taking a step back.

"I should be asking _you_ that! What were you thinking?"

"Calm down. There's no reason for you to get so angry. It's not like this is the first time." A small smirk appeared. "Besides, you were _quite_ into it last night."

"Damn it Miroku, things are different now!"

"Are they?!" Sango's eyes widened, taken aback by his sudden outburst. "Because I seem to be out of the loop on this fucking relationship! You said you wanted a serious relationship. We moved in together, stopped seeing other people and I focused all my attention on you. I did _my_ share. I thought you were happy."

"I _am_ happy! Why can't you be satisfied with just me? Is it really _that_ much better bringing another woman into bed?"

"Being satisfied isn't the issue here. I think I more than proved I was _perfectly_ satisfied with you."

"Then why was _she_ here?"

"I thought the answer was obvious."

She gave him a look of disgust. "If you think I'm going to let other women into our relationship—"

"You'll what? Break up with me? Move out? The doors right there!" he yelled, pointing towards the door.

Tears began to form. "To say that so easily…"

"Well what else do you want from me? You keep giving me mixed signals! You say you want something to last. I put myself out there and what I offered was about as long as it's going to get. You're the one who said no."

His words were soaked in grief, stabbing her chest as she watched the anger in his face turn to anguish. Buried memories of his proposal flooded back to her. She diverted her eyes, unable to meet his. "There are reasons," she answered softly.

"I don't suppose you could share?" The anger in his voice was back. He clicked his tongue in disappointment as she shook her head. "Of course not. You know, maybe it was a good thing you said no. Obviously, our relationship isn't where I thought it was." He stormed off towards the bedroom.

"It's not like that!" she cried out, following him. He only shook his head in response. "It's something I have to work out… from my past."

He paused, only one leg in his jeans as he looked up at her. He straightened slightly, his attention more on her than his clothing. "Whatever it is, I can help."

She shook her head. "No, you can't. It's something I have to work out myself."

He frowned. "Don't say I can't help without at least telling me what the problem _is _first."

She remained silent. _I know you can't help because I don't even know how to fix it._ Not to mention she didn't actually want to talk about it, especially not with him. She had spent years trying to forget everything that had happened to her in the past. For the most part, she had succeeded. There were only a few times where her past haunted her dreams, and even those had ceased after moving in with Miroku. Unfortunately, not all of her past could be casually swept under a rug and forgotten. Only after getting serious with Miroku did she realize she needed to bring her old life to a close—completely. Until then, she would never be able to be with him like she wanted, not without putting his life in danger.

"I… can't," she answered after a long silence.

A look of disappointment crossed his features as he finished putting on his jeans. Grabbing a t-shirt and socks from the dresser, he pushed past her, literally bumping her out of the way. "Wait, where are you going?" she asked as he quickly pulled on his socks and shoes at the door.

Pulling a shirt on over his head, he glanced over his shoulder as he opened the door. "Out," he replied before slamming the door shut behind him.

*******************

Inuyasha smiled, giving Yumi a small wave as she wildly flung her arms above her after climbing the top of one of the metal climbing structures. Lowering his hand, he crossed his arms, watching as Yumi easily slid through the gaps in the metal and fell into the center of the hollow structure before rushing off towards another part of the playground, several boys hot on her heels.

"Is that your daughter?" a woman asked, moving up beside him.

He glanced over at her in surprise, not expecting to be approached by one of the numerous mothers who stood at the edges of the playground. They seemed to have their own circles, talking amongst themselves. Being the only adult male here, he felt out of place. Still, he didn't regret coming. Not only was he spending time with Yumi, he was giving Kagome some space. Despite his insistent nagging about the subject, she still refused to talk to him about the fight, saying that they would discuss it 'after they've cooled down.'

"Yes," Inuyasha answered awkwardly, not quite sure why the woman had broken from her small group to talk to him.

"She's quite charming. My son is one of the boys chasing her," she explained quickly. "This isn't the first time I've seen her here. Usually, a woman brings her…"

"My wife," he said with a smile.

A brief emotion passed over her face. Inuyasha recognized it as jealousy. Obviously, Kagome wasn't thought of too fondly in this particular area. It wasn't hard to imagine why. While they all still had their charm, some more than others, it was obvious they were all starting to tack on years. Kagome on the other hand…

The woman's smile returned. "She must be quite a handful with so many boys chasing after her."

For a second, Inuyasha was confused about who she was talking about before realizing the woman was talking about Yumi. "Ah, yes. She can be quite the little demon," Inuyasha said with a knowing smile. _Though I'm sure her mother is just as popular._ Neither were pleasant thoughts. He suddenly wanted the conversation to end. It wasn't that he disliked talking to her; it just felt weird. _Come on Miroku. Where are you?_ He glanced around, as if his friend would magically appear when if summoned. Unfortunately, he was nowhere to be found. _After calling me out like this, he could at least be on time._ For now, he had to put up with the woman.

"Enjoy her now. Once they get to be teenagers…" The woman shook her head sadly. "I hear it only gets worse."

He chuckled nervously. "I can only imagine."

"Well, I'm sure you'll be fine. Your daughter is quite intelligent, brilliant even. My son is always talking about her and the things she says."

Inuyasha shifted anxiously. That was something he _definitely_ didn't want to hear. Both he and Kagome had yet to sit down with her and explain how and why she was so special—and how she was stronger than the other kids at the playground. Still, that didn't mean that she hadn't overheard them at some point. He knew kids had the habit of repeating everything they said. _Not that most parents would believe any of it._ Even still, there were people out there who _would_ and, even worse, knew just how important someone like Yumi was.

"I hope it's nothing bad," Inuyasha said, carefully picking his words.

"Oh no! It's quite the opposite in fact! I'm surprised she knows so much for her age. Yumi is an excellent influence on my Nobu. Do you have her enrolled somewhere?"

He relaxed slightly. "No. My wife teaches her at home."

"I see. Does your wife teach?"

"No, but she has a passion for learning. It's obvious who Yumi took after in that department."

"Looks too," the woman added, her voice lower than it normally was. "I can already tell that she's going to grow up to be quite a stunning young lady." There was a slight pause as she gave him a sly smile. "Unfortunately for you."

Inuyasha gave an uneasy laugh as another voice interrupted. "Hey, there you are," Miroku said, jogging up to where the two stood.

_Thank God!_ "Hey, you're late," Inuyasha said as he turned his attention towards Miroku.

"Hello," Miroku said, eyeing the woman on the other side of Inuyasha.

"Good afternoon," she replied quickly. To Inuyasha, she continued. "It was nice talking to you."

"Yes," Inuyasha said with a short bow. The woman smiled back at Miroku before rushing off back to her group.

"What was _that_ all about?" Miroku said, leaning his head towards the chatting group.

"Your guess is as good as mine." Inuyasha scanned the playground, locating Yumi near the swings. From the looks of things, she was a queen surrounded by knights willing to do her bidding; and she had no problem ordering them around. It was funny how things had worked out. She had wanted nothing more than to play with him at the playground, yet he found himself dumped for the boys already there. Knowing that she was doing fine, he turned his attention back to Miroku. "So, what did you want to talk about?"

"I had a fight with Sango," he said, watching Yumi play.

Inuyasha chuckled. "Sounds familiar."

"You and Kagome?" Inuyasha nodded. "And?"

"Apparently, I'm sleeping on the couch tonight."

Miroku gave him a confused look. "I thought she didn't need sleep."

"Yes, but I guess that doesn't matter. I'm not allowed to sleep in the bed tonight."

"That sucks."

"Yeah, I should have bought a more comfortable couch. What about you?"

Miroku quickly scanned the area around them, making sure no one would overhear. "I slept with Avery."

"You _what!?_" Inuyasha looked around, embarrassed by his sudden outburst. Luckily, no one seemed to mind. He knew she had been looking for a companion for the night, but he never imagined she would be able to pull Miroku away from Sango, even drunk. "Damn, Sango must have been pissed when you got home."

"Home? She was there too."

Inuyasha gave his friend a surprised look. "You mean—"

Miroku nodded. "Yep."

There was silence between the two. "Damn," Inuyasha said, breaking it. He let it sink in a little more before continuing. "I thought you two had a closed relationship."

"We did."

"Since you mentioned an argument, I take it she wasn't too pleased finding her there sober." Inuyasha knew there were multiple issues with this. Not only did he have to worry about the Miroku-Sango problem, but the issue with Avery being the representative of their client. There were still a couple weeks of work left, and both Sango and Miroku had to work with her. He was going to have to take this one problem at a time. _What a mess, so much for my vacation._

"No, but that's the part I don't understand. It's not like we haven't done it before."

"Well, you did agree to stop seeing other people when she moved in."

Miroku was silent for a moment. "I asked her to marry me."

Inuyasha smiled, slapping his friend on the back. "It's about time! Kagome and I were betting on when you two would finally tie the knot!"

"Over a week ago," he continued, his voice oddly hollow.

Inuyasha's smile faltered slightly. "And you're just now telling me?"

"She said no," he finished.

"Oh…" Inuyasha didn't know what to say, the news was completely unexpected. _I don't understand. I thought for sure…_

"Now you understand why I'm so confused?"

Inuyasha thought long and hard. "There must be some sort of reason."

"There is, but she won't tell me." Miroku looked at Inuyasha. "You know what it's like when a person you really care about is keeping a secret? I just want to help! Why can't she see that?"

"Maybe she doesn't know what to do herself?"

Miroku shrugged. "Whatever the reason, I'm done."

"You don't mean that."

"No Inuyasha, I do mean it. I tried, I honestly did. I put everything I had into that relationship. I'm not going to be tied down waiting for someone who's afraid to do the same."

He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "You're going to leave just like that? You're seriously going to end it like this?"

"Of course not! I love Sango. I love Sango more than I've ever loved anyone else, possibly more than I _could_ ever love someone else."

Scratching his head, Inuyasha looked from Yumi back to Miroku. "So what are you saying?"

"I will be there for Sango if she needs me, but I'm not going to just wait around for her." He took a deep breath, releasing it slowly. "I guess things will go back the way they use to be."

"Judging by how she reacted this morning, I don't think she would like that."

He shrugged. "Not much I can do about that. She had the opportunity to make things permanent, and she turned it down."

"I really think you need to rethink this. Why don't you give it a couple days—"

"I've made my decision!"

"I'm just saying—"

Miroku shook his head. "I can't believe you. You use to be the master of this type of thing. Two, three, even that one time with four girls, all were so easy for you."

Inuyasha shuddered. "That was a long time ago. I've grown up."

"Don't tell me you haven't thought about it. You can't honestly tell me you haven't wished to relive old times just once since getting married."

"I can, because I haven't. They're a young man's fantasy Miroku. Were they fun at the time? Yes. But it was always an empty fun and a fleeting pleasure. I'm happy with Kagome, and I think you are happy with Sango, which is why you called me here to talk. I think you want me to confirm what you already know."

Miroku shook his head, sighing softly. "Here I thought you of all people would understand. I was expecting some slaps on the back. 'Man, you're so lucky!' and 'I wish I was in your position!' I guess I was wrong."

"Miroku!" Inuyasha called as his friend started to walk off. "Come back here."

He waved as he continued walking. "I'm going to take off before Yumi sees me. I'll see you around."

Inuyasha started to chase after him before catching himself. Holding in place, he watched his friend get farther away. He took a deep breath, scratching the back of his neck as he looked back at Yumi. _He just needs some time. I'll talk to him in a couple days after he cools down._ An uneasy feeling settled over him. It was as if his body was warning him something bad was coming. "I just hope he doesn't do something he'll regret first…"

*******************

**Again, thanks to Jay for editing this chapter. Please review! Thanks.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any characters associated with it. This story is rated for a mature audience.**

**Citrus Warning (For entire story) **

*******************

Kagome was amazed how quickly Yumi fell asleep. _Well, they were out most of the day._ Getting the day off from being a mother hen had been relaxing, even though she hadn't had time to get out of the house.

Gradually inching the door closed, Kagome left it open just a crack before carefully backing away. Yumi had always been a light sleeper and the last thing she wanted right now was to wake her up. Satisfied that Yumi was tucked in and that she had successfully escaped without waking her, Kagome headed to her bedroom. Pushing open the door, she found Inuyasha reading on the bed. Frowning, she closed the door behind her.

"Yumi asleep?" he asked, lowering the book.

She nodded, moving towards the closet. "Did you talk to Miroku today?"

"Yeah, I met him at the playground. I'm guessing you heard about things from Sango?"

"She called about an hour or so after you left."

Inuyasha let out a sigh. "Crazy isn't it? Here I thought they were finally settling down."

"I find it funny," she said from the closet, half-talking, half-deciding what to wear tomorrow.

"Funny?" From the sound of his voice, he didn't find things amusing.

"Not like that," she said, poking her head out of the closet to find him staring unhappily at her. "I mean how both of our relationships are reversed." His expression didn't change. "Well think about it. I'm a succubus whose not only married, but stays with one man. Both of them are human yet they can't seem to close their relationship. From a stereotypical view, both our relationships should be reversed."

Inuyasha sighed, shaking his head. "No thanks. I'm perfectly happy with how things are now."

She had the sudden urge to tease him a little. "Oh? You sure you're happy with just me? I know some people who would be more than willing to join."

He perked up, the book falling into his lap. "Really?" he asked excitedly. "You really mean that!? I've always been afraid to ask but--"

Kagome felt her heart sink as he continued. Her ears heard everything that he said, but her mind failed to comprehend _what_ was being said. She was still in shock over how animate he was over the idea. _I know in the past he—but I thought now—_Her thoughts were a mess as she struggled to follow a dozen different trains at the same time. Ever since she and Inuyasha had gotten back together after their separation, it had always felt right to be together. There were times when she was tempted, _very_ tempted, but she always resisted the urge and never regretted her decision to stay with only Inuyasha. She had always assumed he felt the same way. _But another woman?_ The idea was unsettling. She watched his animated expressions as he continued talking. He seemed _overjoyed_ at the thought_._ Telling him she had only been teasing… She gently bit her lower lip, her conflicting feelings dueling inside her, gnawing at her.

"Kagome?"

His voice knocked her out of her reverie. "Hmm?" she asked, trying to make it sound like she had been paying attention.

"Have you decided who the first one will be?"

_First?_ "Inuyasha I—" Her explanation was cut off by his gut-wrenching laughter. "What's so funny?" she demanded angrily, resting a hand on her hip. _There is nothing funny about this conversation!_

"I got you, didn't I?" he choked out through his laughter. As his laughing fit subsided, he took a deep breath. "Oh man," he said, wiping tears from his eyes. "You should have seen the look on your face."

She suddenly realized that she had been had. Pressing her lips together, she reached for the nearest weighted object she could grab, a shoe, and chucked it at him. He managed to swat it down with his hand as the rest of his body pressed against the bed. "I thought you were serious!" she cried in dismay, embarrassed that her teasing had been turned against her. Not only had she failed in her attempt, she had fallen completely for his.

He chuckled as he righted himself. "Come on, I thought you knew me better than that." Still flustered, she moved over towards the bed to recover the shoe. He grabbed her by the arm, his smile fading. "Why are you mad?"

"I'm not," she muttered, looking away.

"Yes you are."

"I'm not!" He was silent but he didn't release her arm, patiently waiting for her to answer him. "Besides, you're supposed to sleep on the couch tonight." She smiled victoriously as his expression changed to express his displeasure. _Ha! You thought I forgot didn't you?_

"That's true," he agreed, nodding slowly. She wore a smug smile, happy that she had managed to still come out on top. She let out a surprised yelp as he forcefully pulled her onto the bed, quickly rolling over to pin her against the bed. His voice was just above a whisper. "Lucky for me, I don't plan on sleeping..."

She had no idea what had brought on the sudden change, but she wasn't going to complain. The passion that had disappeared after Yumi was born was back, and Kagome was going to enjoy every second of it.

It had been a long time since they had done anything with the lights on. Her hands moved across his smooth skin as she pushed his shirt off. It had been awhile since she had been on the bottom. It felt awkward wiggling against the bed as he struggled to free her of her clothes. He let out a frustrated groan between kisses, immediately followed by the sound of fabric ripping and the rush of air on her exposed chest. Her giggles were snuffed by the barrage of kisses that followed. _Let's hope he has a little more patience with my pants._

Luckily, he did. Breaking the kiss he scooted down the bed to quickly pull them off, tossing them over the bed before running his hands slowly up her legs.

"What's with this?" she asked, smiling at him as he tenderly kissed her stomach, working his way up her body, his hands running along her sides.

"You don't like it?" he asked, continuing his journey up her body.

A tingle ran over her. "I never said that," she whispered. Everything in her was lit up, ready to go. Things were creeping closer to the point of no return. Once they passed that, nothing, absolutely nothing would stop her from getting the release she desired. His lips attached to her left nipple, sucking it lightly as his index finger made circular motions around the other. It was the nudge she needed. "Inuyasha," she breathed. "Please."

He needed no other encouragement. Within seconds of her plea, he was sheathed inside her. Worries of how passionate the actual act would be were quickly stamped out as he began forcefully driving into her. She gasped noisily as he hammered into her with rapid succession. After over a year of painfully slow sex, the sudden switch was overwhelming. She cried out as she came, Inuyasha following immediately after her. Heat washed over her body as his energy swept through her. Having just fed the night before, their orgasm lasted a fraction of the previous nights.

Exhausted, Inuyasha fell to the side, gasping for breath. He chuckled between his gasps. "Wow. I was expecting that to last a lot longer."

"This was—unexpected," she said, looking away to hide her blush. It wasn't Inuyasha's fault they had finished in just over a minute. With the link that formed between a succubus and her partner, the only way the male could finish is if the succubus did first. She was baffled why it had ended so quickly. It wasn't that she was tired. Unlike Inuyasha, her breathing was only slightly heavier than it normally was. She quickly glanced towards the door. Her sudden movement didn't escape Inuyasha, who also looked towards the door.

"What is it?" he asked, his eyes moving between her and the door anxiously.

She shook her head. "Nothing, I just thought—"

"Thought what?" he pressed.

A smile crossed her lips as she rolled onto her side, snuggling against him. "We were a little loud so I thought Yumi would wake. You must have tired her out more than I thought."

He sighed. "It wasn't me. It was all those kids at the playground."

A mischievous smile formed as she slowly ran her hand across his chest, stopping just above the large scar. "We should take advantage of this."

One of his eyebrows rose. "You think you can handle something a little longer this time?" he teased.

She pinched him, causing him to flinch against her. "Why don't we find out?"

*******************

Dante drummed his fingers impatiently against the armrest of the chair. He was in his hotel room. It was nice, and judging by the rest of the hotel, expensive. _They sure like to show off their money._ He frowned. _And make people wait._ As soon as the thought finished, the laptop chimed as a secure connection was established.

"About damn time," he muttered, sitting up in the chair.

"Mr. Rizzo?" a male voice said from the computer.

"Yeah," he answered. There still was no video transmission. He knew he had no right to complain, not with the amount they were paying, but it was unnerving to never actually see the people who were ordering him around.

"I hope your accommodations are acceptable?"

He glanced around. "I really don't know why you bothered with something so expensive. I doubt I'm going to be here after tonight. I told you I'm okay with something a little less…" He poked at the leather arm of the chair. "Pompous."

"Cost is of no concern to us."

"Yeah, right. Still, it just feels weird. I'm not used to this sort of treatment."

"A true pity considering who you are."

Dante snorted. "Please." _I'm getting sidetracked._ "So when do you want me to start this weird little mission of yours?"

"Tomorrow."

"Okay… but I still don't understand why I am here." His laptop chirped. Leaning forward, Dante found a file had been uploaded. Opening it, a list of names and pictures began scrolling down the screen. "Wha-"

"These are your targets."

"Damn… These are some nice looking chicks!"

"Of course. None are human."

"You're shitting me. These are all those demons you were talking about?"

"…Correct."

Dante frowned. "And you want me to sleep with them? _All_ of them?" he asked as the names on the list continued to scroll. "I mean, good lord."

"That won't be necessary." The names suddenly stopped scrolling. Several names were selected and moved off onto a smaller list on the right. "These are your primary targets. All are currently close to your location. All others are considered targets of opportunity."

He looked over them, nodding in satisfaction. _Good, it looks like some of the better looking ones are mixed in here. Not that the others weren't drop dead gorgeous either._ He took a deep breath, releasing it as he ran a hand over his chin. "I've got a lot of weird requests over the years… but this one trumps them all. Any particular reason why I can't just shoot them?"

"Under _no_ circumstances are you to harm them!" the voice snapped, taking Dante by surprise.

"That's a weird request to make to a professional hit man."

"We didn't hire you just for your assassination skills."

"So it _is_ because of 'that.'" By 'that,' Dante meant his seemingly invincible body. Ever since he was a kid, he had an extraordinary healing ability. Small wounds healed instantly, larger ones took several seconds. What he had found truly remarkable was his 'death' at age sixteen. He had stolen his neighbors' car and took it for a joyride. It ended quickly with him slamming into a wall at speeds in excess of one ninety kilometers per hour. He awoke next to the totaled car, his clothes torn to shreds, but not a scratch on him. A few tests afterwards confirmed that he was seemingly immune to death, a handy skill for his current profession.

"…Yes." The man sounded reluctant to answer more, so Dante didn't push. Still… _Who are these people?_ He knew next to nothing about them, only they had hired him through his boss. His boss was even more reluctant to talk about them than they were about themselves. Not only were the people weird, ranting on and on about demons and stuff, but the mission itself was completely out there. _Paying to kill someone is one thing, but paying someone to sleep with a bunch of people?_ He began looking over the photos and names that had been picked out of the list. Many even had a short biography. _Not that I'm complaining…_

"So, what kind of time frame we looking at? Do I need to do this quickly or can I take my time and enjoy it?"

"Two weeks."

"All these in two weeks?"

"Is that a problem?"

He hesitated. "I'll try my best, but these are high-class looking women. I don't know if they would go for someone like me."

"You'll soon discover these women will find you irresistible. Besides, we have faith in you and your abilities."

Even though the guy mentioned 'we,' Dante had only ever talked to him. Shifting uncomfortably, he leaned towards the laptop. "S-should I use protection?"

"I doubt they will let you."

_That's not odd or anything. Nope, perfectly normal. Strange man sleeping with lots of strange beautiful women, none of them will want to use protection._ "So… how do I know I won't, you know, get something?"

"Oh, you won't have to worry about that."

"And I'll be safe doing it with these girls right? I mean, they are demons."

"You may experience a draining effect, but I assure you, it's perfectly safe."

"I don't like the sound of that."

"It is not you who should worry, but them."

Dante didn't like how that sounded. "Hey now, I'll have you know I'm clean!"

The man chuckled softly. It was the first time Dante had ever heard him show emotion. "I apologize if I offended you in some way, but I promise I didn't mean it like that." He was suddenly all business again. "Do you have any more questions?"

After thinking, he shook his head only to realize the man couldn't actually see him. "No." In truth, he had a million but he doubted any of them would get an answer.

"Excellent. We look forward to seeing your results." The connection was severed.

Dante relaxed back in his chair, folding his hands behind his head. "This is getting more fucked up by the minute." He stared at his computer screen, the pictures of the girls still there. A grin spread across his face. "But I think I might enjoy this one."

*******************

Normally, Sango enjoyed work, or enjoyed it as much as someone could. It was stressful at times, but she liked focusing on different things and the feeling of accomplishment on a job well done. Now, she knew what awaited her. _Miroku never came home last night._ In a way, she hadn't expected him to. In the time after she moved in, they had had several big arguments, each one ending with him leaving to cool down. Depending on the time of day, sometimes, he stayed out. Before, she was never too concerned with what he did while he was out, knowing he most likely decided to crash at a cheap hotel downtown. Things were different now. She knew he stayed at a hotel, but had doubts whether he was alone in the room. _Is it always going to be this miserable?_ Sango knew she wasn't looking her best. Worry and a lack of sleep did that to people. For her, she had spent most of the time contemplating what to do next. Did she need to just wait things out and see what happened or put in effort to force something out of it? She had a taste of what a true relationship with Miroku had felt like and wanted it back. The problem lied with convincing him she wanted it. If it were to succeed, she needed to give it time.

_But how long can I take things like this? Do I stay with him or move out?_ She sighed, hovering outside the office. "What do I do?" Even if she wanted to, she didn't think she could afford her own place, not with what she currently had.

Taking a deep breath, she focused herself before opening the door. She heard laughing inside as the door opened. Sitting at a computer was Miroku, Avery sitting on the desk beside it laughing. She immediately stopped upon her entrance, looking away. Miroku looked over his shoulder.

"Morning," he said impassively.

"Morning," she responded, with equal indifference as she closed the door behind her. If the thermostat ran on emotions, the entire room would have frozen over.

"Inuyasha's late," Miroku said, eyeing the clock. "Usually he beats both of us," he continued, this time to Avery.

"He's on vacation."

"Vacation? Inuyasha doesn't take vacation."

"Maybe that's why he took one," she shot back, sitting down at her desk. "He wanted to spend time with those he loves." She couldn't help but flash a look of anger towards Avery. Luckily, she wasn't looking at her at the time. Sango had mixed feelings about her. Avery was technically an involved third-party, but her role was somewhat minimal in the greater problem. She knew they were still a couple, but made no effort to reject Miroku's advances.

"M-maybe I should go," Avery said uncomfortably as she stood.

"What? Why?" Miroku asked, focusing on her as she walked past him.

"You have the specifications for the software. I really don't need to be here... I think I'll just be in the way."

"But what if I have questions?"

"You have my number," she said with a tense smile. Her eyes flickered over to Sango who managed to keep her face expressionless. "Just give me a call if you have any questions."

Miroku smiled. "Okay. I'll see you tonight then?"

Again, Avery looked towards Sango who pretended not to be paying attention. "Uh, I mean, well… call me when you finish today."

"Alright," he answered, smiling after her as she quickly retreated from the room. A long silence dominated the room. Both pretended to be engrossed in their work, but neither were actually doing anything.

Sango was the first to break the silence. "Sounds like things are going great."

"Oh, they are," he answered. "Last night, the things we did…" He made a face like he was hitting something hard as he made forward and back motions with his fists.

She knew he said it that way on purpose. He had every intention of hurting her with it. What made things worse was that he succeeded. "That's good to hear." She was amazed she managed to keep her voice steady.

"I might not be home tonight again."

"Okay." She was having trouble focusing on her work.

He let out a weary sigh. "Too bad the changes won't take long. Once things are done, Avery is going back to Europe."

"So sad," she said sarcastically.

"Isn't it?" She knew he had detected the sarcasm, but he continued as if she had been sincere. "I'll have to find another girl then."

Sango snapped, slamming her fists against the table as she stood. "Fuck you."

"What's your problem?" he shot back indignantly.

"You know what my problem is: You! I've done nothing to deserve this sort of treatment from you!"

"'Done nothing?' Funny, that's not how I remember things."

"Stop acting like a fucking child Miroku. That's right, a child," she shouted, interrupting him before he could say anything. "I admit, I could have handled things a little differently, both of us could have. But you—What's the first thing you do when we hit a rough spot in our relationship? You run off to another woman!" Tears ran down her face. "What's more, you come in here _bragging_ to me about the fun time you had with her. What the _fuck_ Miroku!" Her voice grew soft. "You didn't even have the decency to break up with me first."

He gave a dry laugh. "Here I was thinking you broke up with me with the whole 'no' to marriage thing, but fine." He stood up, facing her. Clearing his throat, he straightened his back. "Sango, we should see other people, and by see, I mean fuck." His expression brightened, but he wore a fake smile. "But you know, I think we should still be friends."

Sango could no longer control the tears that ran down her face. "I hate you!" was all she could manage as she ran towards the door, shoving past him. Slamming the door, she tried in vain to stem the flow of tears. _I can't just sit here, crying in the hall._ Sobbing, she headed towards the bathroom.

*******************

Inuyasha felt oddly happy when he awoke. For one, he was still on the bed, meaning he had escaped his exile to the couch. The second was finding Kagome beside him, a glowing smile on her face as he regained consciousness.

"Morning," she whispered, snuggling closer to him.

He smiled back. "Good morning." _And what a good morning it is! I don't have to go into work today!_ Though he knew he should with the whole Sango-Miroku problem, his mind was made up. _Besides, what's one or two days? It will give the two time to cool down and work things out naturally. _He felt bouncy, a strange thing for him in the morning, especially when his numerous _encounters_ with Kagome should have left him completely drained.

Even Kagome picked up on it. "You seem energetic this morning."

"I _feel_ energetic. I haven't felt this good in…" He frowned, thinking. "A _long_ time."

She hummed, running her hand slowly up his chest. "I might be able to drain the batteries a little," she whispered as she sensuously slid under the covers.

Inuyasha, still a little groggy, blinked in confusion. "Oh wow," he gasped, eyes widening as he felt something wet touch the tip of his semi-erect cock. Suffice to say that it wasn't at half-mast for much longer. Both his body and mind were fully awake in an instant, blood rushing down to where it was needed. He grabbed at the sheets as he watched the comforter rise and fall rapidly approximately where his crotch was. He knew Kagome was in a happy mood as well. It had been a _long_ time since she had done this.

Groaning loudly, he involuntarily thrust up as he came, his body tensing as it emptied the little stores that remained into Kagome's waiting mouth. He relaxed back into the bed as the sensation faded. Even after his erection faded, Kagome remained below the covers, using her mouth and tongue to ensure every drop was accounted for.

Feeling her warmth leave him, he suddenly felt Kagome's body pressed to his side. She licked her lips hungrily. He knew that look. She wanted something more. Unfortunately, it wouldn't to be as the sound of footsteps thundered towards them. Kagome barely had enough time to cover herself before the door shot open, revealing an awake and energetic Yumi.

"Mommy!" she cried, rushing the bed and flinging herself at Kagome. The woman made a small 'oof' as the child landed atop her. "Good morning!" she cried before burying her face into her mother's chest. Kagome quickly reached up to hold the blanket in place.

"You're up… early," Kagome said, trying, and failing, to keep the disappointment from her voice and face.

Inuyasha knew how she felt. _Just ten more minutes…_ Suddenly, it dawned on him just how lucky they had been. _If Yumi had been just a few minutes earlier or later…_ Instead of feeling like he had just missed out on an amusement park ride, it felt like he had just narrowly avoided being shot.

"I'm hungry," Yumi stated, suddenly perking up.

"I'll be out in a second." A devious smile appeared on Kagome's lips. "You forgot Daddy."

"Oh—" His voice was cut off as Yumi leapt from her mother onto Inuyasha, her knee driving down on something that, just previously, had been quite happy.

"Morning Daddy!" she squealed, hugging him tightly.

"Morning," he gasped out, gently tapping her on her back. While it may have appeared to be a show of affection to others, it was actually him tapping out, her knee still digging itself into his lower area.

"Now go on out to the kitchen and pick something out to eat," Kagome said, lifting the girl off him to stand her beside the bed. In the process, the covers fell from her chest. "Mommy will be out in a second."

"Okay!" she said, rushing out of the room.

Letting out a deep groan, Inuyasha clutched himself in pain. Smiling, Kagome rolled onto her side, facing him. She scooted closer, her lips almost touching his ear. "That's what it feels like when I get excited and nothing happens." Rolling out of bed, she quickly threw on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. Moving to the door, she paused to glance over her shoulder at him. "You going to be okay?" she asked with a smirk.

"I'll be fine," he grunted, waving her away. "Go ahead, I'll join you in a little bit."

Her eyebrows rose. "You're actually going to eat breakfast with us?"

Nodding, slowly sat up, the pain gradually becoming bearable. "Miroku and Sango can handle things now so I took some vacation time."

"Yumi will be happy to hear that."

"Judging by your smile, she's not the only one."

Kagome merely shrugged. "Perhaps. You'll have to wait until tonight to find that out."

An exhausted sigh escaped his lips. "I'm _already_ tired."

She seductively leaned against the door. "Then I suggest you take a nap this afternoon because when I get a hold of you tonight you'll—"

"MOMMY!" a shrill voice called out, cutting Kagome off before she could finish. "I'm hungry!"

Kagome sighed deeply as she straightened, the mood ruined. She gave Inuyasha a weary smile. "Say, you think I could take off as well?" Another hungry wail followed almost immediately after. "Guess not."

As Kagome closed the door behind her, Inuyasha rolled out of bed. Heading towards the bathroom, he paused as an uneasy feeling washed over him, his attention immediately drawn to the closed window. For some reason, the closed blinds held his gaze as if he expected something to suddenly be revealed. After nearly a full minute, the feeling left him and he began looking around his room once more, blinking rapidly in confusion. Frowning, he shook his head and continued towards the bathroom. Splashing cool water on his face, he took a deep breath as he relaxed. His mind was free of stress. No work, no pressing problems to deal with, nothing to look forward to other than a relaxing day with his family.

Smiling, he headed towards the closet, the uneasy feeling completely forgotten.

*******************

Kagome was still 'high' on the energy rush she had received from Inuyasha, even though it had been several hours since the morning began. It had been quite awhile since she had this much energy at her disposal. She was tempted to use some magic just for the sake of burning off some excess energy before it faded naturally. After multiple sessions last night and the morning infusion, she was nearly drowning in energy. Not only was his energy giving her a boost, but just his general attitude. She didn't quite understand what had happened to him after the fight, but she was thankful for it. He was finally showing more interest in bed, something she hoped would continue. _With things as they are, maybe I should talk to him about Yumi._ She mulled the thought around for several seconds before setting it aside. This was the best time to talk to him about her considering how happy he was, but she didn't want to risk ending this atmosphere so quickly after it formed. _I definitely want to take advantage of this for a couple more days._

She casually waved a finger over each appliance as she moved over the kitchen, any dirt that had managed to accumulate since the last cleaning vanishing. _I wish I had this much energy more often._ Using magic certainly made the chores a lot easier and with Inuyasha keeping Yumi company, she didn't have to expend so much energy trying to exhaust the young girl enough so that she would go to bed at a reasonable time.

Peeking into the living room, she found Inuyasha passed out on the couch, mouth open as he slept. Yumi was snuggled up against him, using his arm as a pillow as she silently watched the program. Kagome wondered briefly if Yumi knew her father was sleeping through her favorite TV show, but realized her daughter probably didn't care either way. The simple fact he was there with her was enough.

Smiling, Kagome leaned against the wall, content with watching the two when the doorbell interrupted her. Inuyasha stirred slightly when Yumi lifted her head to look at the door. With a frown, Kagome went to the door. She didn't bother checking who it was before opening the door slightly. She was surprised to find Sango standing there, eyes red. It was obvious she had just been crying.

"Sango?" she whispered in surprise. "What happened?"

Fresh tears ran down her friends face as her lip quivered. "M-Miroku. He broke up with me…"

*******************

Inuyasha sat in the living room, trying to listen to the conversation between Kagome and Sango over the volume of the TV and frustrated that he could only catch fragments of it. Unfortunately, his job was to keep Yumi occupied. From what he knew of the situation, it wasn't something she should hear about.

His pleasant mood was gone, replaced by frustration and anger. _The _one_ day I take off…_ He had told Miroku to take some time and cool off and not do anything stupid. _It's just like Miroku. What's the first thing he does? He does something stupid._ Inuyasha had expected things to simmer down enough after a couple days for him and Kagome to step in and help them work things out. Unfortunately, things had exploded instead. The worst part about it was that both Sango and Miroku were basically members of the family, meaning that their problems would undoubtedly boil over into his.

"Daddy, why is Aunt Sango crying?"

His attention was suddenly sucked back into the room as he looked down at Yumi, her dark brown eyes piercing him. Smiling, he tried to downplay the situation. "She just had a fight with Miroku."

Her expression changed quickly at the mention of Miroku. Crossing her arms, her expression was almost one of a pout. "It's all her fault."

"Now, you don't know that." He resisted the urge to sigh. It was always like this when it came to Miroku. Inuyasha had an idea why Yumi was so attached to him. _It's all that candy he sneaks her…_

"No! Miroku doesn't fight with girls!" She nodded firmly, entrenched in her belief. "She definitely started it."

"Well I think both of them started it."

"No way! She did!" Yumi said, raising her voice slightly.

"Shh," Inuyasha said quickly, resting a hand on her shoulder as he glanced anxiously towards the kitchen. Luckily, neither of them seemed to have heard her outburst. "Either way, let's let them talk okay?" He wrapped his arm around her shoulder before pulling her against him. "Besides, this show is a _lot_ more interesting than some boring old people talk, right?"

She beamed happily at him, nodding excitedly. Inuyasha relaxed a little as Yumi turned her attention back to the TV. He was enjoying his small victory when his cell rang. Instantly, he felt the stares from the kitchen. _Of all the times…_ he began as he glanced down at the caller-ID. Sure enough, Miroku's name was illuminated in the small screen.

"Hey," he said, holding the phone to his ear, resisting the urge to look towards the kitchen. He could feel the atmosphere shift, even from here. Whatever Sango had been telling Kagome, it had turned her against Miroku. _Which means I'm in a lose-lose situation… again._ Picking Miroku's side would pit him against both Sango _and_ Kagome. Not supporting Miroku would mean not supporting his best, and only, friend.

"I think I fucked up." Miroku's voice seemed drained.

It was amazing how those five words summed up just about everything. "I would say so," he answered softly. He knew both women were trying to listen in from the kitchen, even if they could only get half of the conversation. Even Yumi was looking up at him with curious eyes. "Hold on a second." Pressing his hand against the receiver, he looked down at Yumi. "I'll be right back okay? Pay close attention," he said nodding towards the TV. "I'll need you to fill me in on what I missed, okay?"

"Mm!" Yumi answered with a grin.

Fleeing to the safety of his room, he quickly closed the door behind him before holding the phone back to his ear. "I _warned _you Miroku! What did you think would happen?"

"I-I don't know. I wasn't thinking and—"

"Damn right you weren't!"

"I just—It's frustrating!"

"So you go sleep with another woman? That's a real mature way of dealing with it. I'm not even going to start with how bad you messed up this morning."

He sounded miserable as he spoke. "She told you about that?"

"I caught pieces of it, enough to figure out what happened."

There was a slight silence on the other line. "You think I can fix it?"

Inuyasha sighed, slowly sitting down on his bed as he watched his carefree day off fade away. "I don't know man, I don't know."

*******************

There were few missions where Dante felt uneasy about, this was one of them. He never had problems picking up women, especially foreign ones who found his Mediterranean-complexion and deep green eyes appealing. Standing at 5'9, he wasn't outrageously tall, but he had a mysterious, even dangerous aura around him that women seemed to pick up on. But then again, picking up girls had never been a mission, so if he failed, he simply brushed the rejection off and moved on. This time, he _couldn't _be rejected.

His first target went by the name Nana Watanabe, a stunning orange-haired goddess who appeared to be a native to Japan despite her hair color. While she was relatively low on the target list his client had given him, after much deliberation, he decided she would be the first. If things went poorly, he would simply change tactics for the next and try her again before the time limit.

Even though he was a professional and had infiltrated high-class parties like this before, his anxiety got the best of him. Instead of his suave, professional look he normally pulled off at such occasions, his image broke into that of a nervous newcomer who was unaccustomed to such high-end parties. He was constantly wiping his sweaty palms against his tux as he downed more champagne than he really should have before making contact with the target.

Fortunately, Dante quickly found out he wouldn't need his usual suave personality to butt out the other suitors vying for her attention. A botched first impression brought snickers from the men around her, convinced he had shot himself in the foot, but to their surprise, she actually enjoyed it. Within five minutes, Dante had her complete attention, the other suitors disappointingly moving on to other targets. Even slightly buzzed from the alcohol, he discovered he could do no wrong. It seemed that every word he spoke further enchanted the woman.

It took him only ten minutes to hear the coveted, "Want to go somewhere else?"

It was at the hotel that Dante discovered that orange wasn't her natural hair color. He also discovered that sex with a demon was far better than anything he had experienced before.

A trail of clothes, mostly his, and passionate kisses led to the bed. She fell back on the bed, him atop her, breaking the kisses to examine her fabulous body. To his surprise, he found a giant black tattoo over her stomach. Having a few of his own on both his back and shoulders, he wasn't appalled by it, only shocked that a woman like her had one; especially one this weird. It had a spiral shape to it with an almost cross-like object in the background.

"That's a nice tattoo," he said with a smirk. It quickly faded after seeing her expression. "Sorry."

"It's fine. Enough talking…" She sounded impatient; irritated that he wasted a few seconds to speak.

He decided it was best not to keep her waiting. Slowly, he slid himself inside her. It was like he found himself in another world, frozen in awe by the new sensations that ran though him. He had been with women from all around the world in his travels, but this was something else. Something hidden deep inside him stirred and took over his mind.

Panting heavily, he pounded himself into his partner, her cries of pleasure filling the room. Her hands roamed his bare chest and shoulders as he kept pace with steady, powerful thrusts. It was when he felt the familiar pressure begin to build when things took an odd turn. A confused expression appeared on the woman's face as he began speeding up in preparation for the coming release, his last memory being her frightened expression as she fought to throw him off her before his mind went blank. When his consciousness returned, he was in the same position, his body shaking as if he had just completed an intense workout. Below him was Nana, her eyes wide, staring blankly towards the ceiling. There was a panicked look on her face. Blinking his eyes, his mind trying to grasp the situation, her familiar expression finally clicked with him. Leaping from the bed, he stumbled backward, landing heavily against the floor as he backpedaled away from the dead woman.

_What the _fuck_ happened?_ He looked down at his body, pain beginning to register across his body. He watched as the scratches from her nails gradually faded. The more he tried to think back, the foggier his memory became. The only thing he could remember was her frightened face before he blacked out.

Shakily, he rose to his feet and started back towards the bed. It was far from the first time he had seen a dead body before, but considering he had just been having sex with her not even a minute ago… Not to mention that he hadn't intended to kill her. He wasn't mentally prepared. _And she was the best lay that I've _ever _had. That's _some_ way to repay her. _The evidence of their activity was obvious. During the period of his memory lapse, he had finished. _Was that before or after she died?_ He prayed it was the former.

Running a hand through his hair, he looked over the body, his mind racing to figure out what to do next. He couldn't just _leave_ her there. Someone would find the body and then the cops would get involved. The last thing he needed was that.

"Shit, shit, shit!" he muttered, pressing two fingers against his temples. He frowned upon discovering a deep red on the side of her neck, like a hickey only more sinister as it would undoubtedly bruise in the future.

Moving away from the body, he quickly threw his clothes on before fleeing the room. "Fuck. They are totally going to kill me for this," he mumbled as he dialed his phone and held it against his ear. _He told me not to harm any of them. The first one on the list and I've already fucked up!_

The phone connected. "Erik here."

"Erik, you're close right?"

"Sitting right outside."

_Thank God,_ Dante mouthed silently. "Stay in the car. I need to get out of here fast."

"Right." Erik didn't ask questions as Dante killed the connection, stuffing the phone back into his pocket. He quickly paid for a few more hours for the room at the front desk before hurrying out to the waiting limo. _That will buy me a couple more hours to think. _He had no idea what he had just done nor what to do. _Fuck!_

"Where too?" Erik asked, looking over his shoulder.

"I don't know. Anywhere other than here." As the limo began moving, Dante poured himself a glass of scotch from the limo's small bar, downing the glass in one quick gulp.

"I take it things didn't go well?"

"Fuck no. Everything was going great—then I wake up and the bitch is dead."

"You killed her?"

"No I—well I don't know." The bruise and the claw marks on his chest flashed through his mind. "Fuck!" he shouted, throwing the glass.

"Relax."

"Relax!? _Relax!?_ He told me _not_ to harm them!" His cell rang. Fear crept down his body as he slowly removed it from his pocket. His breath caught in his throat as he brought the phone to his ear, the small case shaking in his hand. _It's him… Of course it's him. _The fact that his client was calling so soon after he left the hotel meant that he was being watched.

"Dante, I hear you've just completed your first on the list. Your report?"

"Uh, well, uh, sir…" He struggled, trying to find a way to break the news. "I uh… I did what you asked me to."

"And?"

"I blacked out uh, at the end. I-it was only for a moment but when I came to, she was dead." The words escaped his mouth as soon as he could form them. A long silence followed. _Oh shit, I'm so fucked…_

"That's understandable. We have her marked as one of the weaker ones on the list."

"Y-you're not mad?" His voice was a mixture of relief and confusion.

"You performed admirably. Why would we be mad?"

He nearly choked on his disbelief. "You were the one who told me not to harm them!"

"Ah yes, but I meant by conventional means."

Dante felt anger begin to boil inside him. He had followed a rule for a long time, don't ask questions. There were reasons why a client wanted someone dead, and so long as he got paid, the reason didn't matter. This job was beginning to freak him out, and he _needed_ to know what was going on. "You want me to _kill_ these women without _killing_ them?"

"Isn't that what you do Mr. Rizzo? Kill people?"

"Yeah, but—Christ, I can't even remember _doing_ anything to her! One moment she was alive, the next, dead!"

"If it's clean-up you're worried about, I've already handled it. We expected something like this may happen with some of the weaker ones."

"Were expecting _what_ to happen? That she would _die _by having sex?"

"No, that she would die having sex with _you_." Dante felt his jaw go slack as he tried to process what he was being told. His mouth moved up and down, but no sound escaped. "You are an _extremely_ special man Mr. Rizzo with an amazing and wonderful gift."

"I don't understand," Dante said, regaining his voice. "I've had sex with tons of women. None have ever _died_ doing it."

"That's because they were all human." The voice continued, cutting off Dante before he could speak. "And I don't expect you to understand. We are paying you for a job Mr. Rizzo, not to ask questions. Is that understood?"

Dante let the silence drag on for several seconds. "Understood."

"Excellent! When will you proceed to your next target?"

He ground his teeth together. "Now sir."

"That is wonderful to hear. We look forward to your continued successes." The line went dead with a click.

Letting the phone fall to the leather seat, Dante let out a weary sigh as he rested his head back. "Did you know about any of this?" he directed towards Erik. He never closed the privacy window, so he knew his bodyguard could hear the conversation, or at least, his half of it.

"No sir. I'm just here to drive you and keep you safe."

"And?"

"And what?"

"Would you do it?"

"Do what sir?"

"This! Screw a woman knowing it could kill her." From what he understood, not all of them would die, only the weak ones. _But how many are considered weak? One? Two? Hell, it could be all of them!_

There was a long silence as the burly man thought. For a moment, Dante thought he wasn't going to answer. Finally, the Russian spoke. "At this point, can you afford not to?"

Dante understood what he meant. _I should have figured there would be a catch. _Nothing_ normal could come out of a job paying this much money._ It was far too late to back out now, not unless he wanted to be constantly looking over his shoulder the rest of his life. Even with his special healing ability, the mystery man seemed to know more about it than he did. If there was anyone who could kill him, it would be him and the '_we'_ that was backing him.

Slumping down in the comfortable leather of the limo seat, Dante stared out the window at the passing buildings. "No, I suppose I can't…"

*******************

**Hope everyone enjoyed this chapter. Even though I currently have 11 chapters finished, this is the last edited one, so the next update might take awhile.**

**Please leave a review! I appreciate everyone who took the time to write one. I have a lot of different story ideas and I don't want to spend time working on a story no one likes.**

**Again, thanks to Jay for taking the time to edit the chapter.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any characters associated with it. This story is rated for a mature audience.**

**Citrus Warning (For entire story) **

*******************

The entire day was ruined for Inuyasha. With Sango in tears and Kagome doing her best to help her through things, it was his job to entertain Yumi and keep her away from the two women so she didn't bother them. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy spending time with her, but today was supposed to be a _family_ day – for a family that included Kagome. It was to be one of the rare times that they could _all_ go out together.

Yumi lost interest in TV quicker than Inuyasha had wished. He wanted to stay around a little longer and listen in on the women in the kitchen, but it became obvious that Yumi wouldn't let him. So he took her out for lunch, ice cream and shopping to hopefully burn off some of the tremendous amount of energy she had. Before stopping at a Ramen shop for dinner, he spent time burning daylight at the playground. Luckily, none of the moms bothered him as he sat on the bench watching Yumi dash from one structure to the next. It was almost nine when he returned home, carrying a daughter that was fast asleep on his back. As he expected, Sango was still there.

_Well, there goes tonight's plan…_ He immediately gave himself a mental kick for thinking so selfishly. Sango was going through an extremely rough time and he was thinking only about how it affected his sex life. Both turned their attention to him as he passed the kitchen.

"Evening," he said, nodding towards them.

Kagome gave him a weary smile. "I see you managed to knock her out again."

Inuyasha knew by the look in her eye that there was a second meaning behind her words. It was as if she was looking at a wasted opportunity. _She's just as disappointed as I am._

"I'm sorry," Sango said miserably. "I know it was your day off and you were planning—" She quickly trailed off as Kagome spun around to give her the 'you're-not-supposed-to-tell' glare. "To enjoy your day off," she finished lamely, obviously not what she originally intended.

"It's fine. Stay here as long as you need to," Inuyasha said with a smile. To Kagome, he continued. "I'm going to put this one to bed."

Standing, Kagome moved over to gently kiss Yumi's forehead before running a hand through the young girl's hair. She stirred slightly, but remained asleep. "Thanks," she whispered softly before returning to the table.

Leaving the woman to talk, he made his way to Yumi's room, trying his best to gently remove her from his back and lower her into bed. Her eyes opened slowly, giving him a groggy look as she grumbled incoherently before groaning in annoyance at having been awakened.

"Shh," he whispered softly, smiling as he pressed his lips against her forehead. "Go back to sleep."

"Where's Mommy?" she cooed softly as he rolled the covers over her body.

"Mommy is busy talking."

"I want-ed to play with Mo-mm-y t-o-o," she said, each word dragging on longer than the one before as her eyes drifted closed.

"Tomorrow. We'll all play together tomorrow."

"Nn," she whispered before falling back asleep.

Carefully backing out of the room, he gently closed the door. Taking a few steps away from the door, he let out a tired sigh. She was tired enough that he didn't have to sneak out of the room, but it was an old habit. Straightening, he headed back towards the kitchen. Both Kagome and Sango were waiting for him, their eyes on him as soon as he entered the room.

"Miroku called earlier, didn't he?" Kagome said before he could say anything.

"Yeah."

"You talked for quite awhile."

_Is she accusing me of something?_ If she wasn't, it sure sounded like she was. Immediately, warning bells began to go off in his head. He really didn't like how they were looking at him. They had the serious expressions of a jury who were just about to give a guilty man his sentence. "I guess so."

"And?"

"And what?" he said, instantly on defense. Know that Yumi was out of the room, Kagome was releasing her anger.

"What did he say?" Kagome pressed impatiently.

Inuyasha glanced nervously from Sango back to Kagome. "Uh—that he fucked up?"

"Well that's obvious!" snapped Kagome.

"Kagome…" Sango whispered softly as she rested a hand on her friends arm.

"No! I can't believe he did that to you!"

"It's fine. I feel a lot better now. It's my fault after all—"

"No it's not! Stop saying that! It's _his_ fault." She set her hand atop Sango's as she looked up at Inuyasha. "Isn't that right?"

Caught off guard, he floundered helplessly for words. "Uh—"

"I can't believe you're taking his side on this!" she exploded when he didn't answer fast enough.

"What!? I didn't even say anything!"

"Uh, Kagome—" Sango said helplessly as Kagome rose from her seat, eyes locked with Inuyasha's.

"Yeah, because you think this whole thing is Sango's fault! You're _always_ taking his side!"

"I didn't say anything about him not being wrong! I just think that maybe he isn't _entirely_ to blame for this!" He tried his best to keep calm, but it was hard to keep things together when someone was yelling at you.

"I can't _believe_ you!" Kagome shouted. "He _cheated_ on Sango! There is _no_ justification for that!"

"Um—Yumi—" Sango whimpered, her voice lost in the ensuing argument between Kagome and Inuyasha.

"He was—is—confused. I'll admit he was an idiot and did a poor job of handling the situation, but you can't honestly say this was _all_ because of him!" His plan to stay as far in the middle as possible was completely lost now. What struck him as unfair was that he never got to pick his side. His side had been nailed onto his chest with a sledgehammer.

"It's just like you to take his side!"

"What the hell is _that_ supposed to mean?"

"Given the chance, I bet you would—"

"Hey!" Sango yelled, silencing both of them. When both gave her surprised looks, she shrank in her seat. "Sorry, but you both were a little… Maybe I should just go home." She stood.

"No, I said you could stay here. At least for tonight, okay? You can sleep in our room." Glancing at Inuyasha, she flashed _the look_ that dared him to say otherwise.

Sango looked from Kagome to Inuyasha, obviously torn. "Uh, the couch would be fine."

"No. That's where Inuyasha will be sleeping."

"Kagome—" Inuyasha began. He never had the chance to finish.

"You. Couch. Now."

One minute he was standing at the edge of the kitchen, the next, he found himself sitting on the couch staring blankly ahead. Blinking, he looked around in confusion, trying to figure out what had just happened and why he was sitting on the couch. Several seconds later, his brain connected the dots. _She used magic on me!_ Rage boiled inside him as he stood up, nails digging into his palm as he clenched his fists. Just like that, she had broken one of the promises they had made on their _wedding day_: that she would never use magic on him unless absolutely necessary. Using it on him during an argument was hardly what he considered absolutely necessary. _Their_ promise. Their _wedding day_. Did those mean as much to her as a little heated argument?

But just as he rose to his feet, Kagome was still in the kitchen with a horrified expression. "I-I," she started, obviously panicked. "Sleep!" It was the last word he heard as darkness swallowed him.

*******************

"Kagome, d-did you just?"

"What did I just do?!" Kagome whimpered, dropping back into her chair, resting her head in her hands and allowing disbelief to wash over her.

Sango rushed over to Inuyasha, who had just crumpled onto the floor. Glancing over him, she sighed, relieved that the fall hadn't seem to have injured him. With several grunts, she managed to lift him enough to roll onto the couch. Letting out a tired sigh, she glanced back at Kagome. "I'm sorry, I never meant for any of this to happen."

Kagome shook her head. "No, I lost control." She had a miserable look on her face as she eyed her sleeping husband. "I can't believe I did that. I haven't used magic on him since we got married."

"You mean before--?"

"I might have _suggested_ some things from time to time to make him more comfortable doing things, but _nothing_ this major." She shook her head, resting her hand on her forehead as she looked down at the table. "How am I going to face him tomorrow?"

"I'm sure he'll—"

"No! He isn't going to just let it go, not like that. He _hates_ not being in control. I promised I wouldn't either…"

Sango gave a weary sigh as she settled back down in her seat. "Why does it seem we are always having problems with men these days?"

Kagome smiled bitterly, resting her arms against the table. "I'd rather have men problems then _other _problems." She knew she didn't need to elaborate on what those other problems were when Sango began nodding in agreement.

"Sometimes I just wish things were like they were in South America. At least then things were simple."

One of Kagome's eyebrows rose as she grinned. "As things were before or after you tried to kill me?"

Sango returned Kagome's smirk. "After, and for the record, I wasn't _trying_ to kill you. It just so happened you were there helping that damn monkey demon." She was silent for a moment. "I never asked you, why did you save me back then? After all, I did come pretty close to killing you."

Kagome shrugged slightly. "That was a long time ago. Does it really matter now?"

Sango considered it for awhile before shaking her head. "No, I guess not. I never did thank you though. Thank you for saving my life."

"Don't mention it," she said, smiling slightly. As the silence continued, her smile faded as her thoughts returned to the present.

"Kagome?"

"Hmm?" She turned her attention away from her sleeping husband and back to Sango.

"I've decided…" Kagome tilted her head in confusion. "I need a favor," Sango said, reaching across the table to rest her hands on Kagome's.

"Anything," she answered immediately.

"Can you get me a meeting with Myoga?" Sango asked, looking at Kagome with pleading eyes.

"The land god?" Sango gave a quick nod. "I—of course I can, but why?" She didn't mean to put off her friends request, but meeting with the land god was an odd request. Yes he was incredibly wise, but going to Myoga for a problem like hers was a little…

Sango shifted nervously in place, looking away. Her hands never left Kagome's. "I… want to break my contract," she whispered softly.

Kagome's eyes widened. Suddenly, everything made sense. "So that's why!" Sango nodded. "Since you never use magic, I thought…"

_If she is still bound by a contract…_ There was only one way for a human to use magic, and that was by contracting with a demon, something Sango had done in the past. Demon contracts were rarely fair and incredibly difficult to break. Since Kagome had not seen Sango use magic for such a long period of time, she had always assumed that she had managed to escape it. _So that's why she didn't accept Miroku's proposal._ While Sango was protected in the contract, Miroku wouldn't have been. Since marriage was a human ritual binding one person to another, the contract would therefore extend to Miroku as well. It was a small loophole in the contract. Since Miroku was technically a different person that wasn't there when the contract was formed, he was not protected by the contract yet still bound by it due to the marriage. This meant the demon was free to posses Miroku as it saw fit.

"Why didn't you say anything sooner?" Kagome asked, tightening her grip on Sango's hands.

"I—I just wanted to forget my past and move on. It wasn't until Miroku proposed that I realized I was still chained to my past." Tears began to form once more. "I don't want Miroku to suffer because of my mistakes."

Kagome shifted uneasily, trying to find a way to put things to her friend gently. "You should have talked to Miroku about this." She debated whether she should continue and decided Sango really needed to hear it. "I think it would have helped this situation a lot."

"Don't you think I know that?!" The first tears ran down her face, causing her to withdraw her hands to wipe them from her face. "But there are things I don't want him to know about my past. _I_ don't want to remember my past. I'm afraid he would think differently about me."

"But—"

"Do you tell Inuyasha about _your_ past?"

Her friend's accusation cut through her like a knife burying itself in her chest. "…Some," she responded after a slight pause.

"But not everything."

"No, not everything," she reluctantly admitted. There were things she didn't want to talk about, but if Inuyasha asked, she would tell him. Since he never asked, she never mentioned them.

"Then you understand why I didn't say anything."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that."

"It's fine. The sooner I talk to Myoga though…"

"I'll track him down tonight."

Sango looked slightly surprised. "I didn't mean you had to go out right away."

"I don't sleep, remember?" she said with a smile.

"Right," Sango replied sheepishly as her cheeks reddened.

"Speaking of sleep," Kagome said as she stood, "you should probably get your rest. It's been a long day and Yumi gets up early. And when Yumi gets up, _everyone_ gets up." Nodding, Sango stood up as well. "Oh, you can grab a change of clothes in the closet. Inuyasha has some t-shirts in the second drawer. I would offer you mine but…" Her voice trailed off as she glanced down at her friend's chest. "Mine might be a little tight to sleep in."

"Thanks Kagome. For everything." She glanced towards Inuyasha. "I know I've caused a lot of trouble coming here."

Kagome waved it off. "It's not your fault. Things will work out—for both of us," she added quickly. Sango nodded. "Now quick," Kagome said, waving her friend off towards her room. "Go take a shower and get changed. You'll feel a lot better. I'll change the sheets and go find Myoga."

Taking a deep breath, Sango nodded before heading back towards Kagome's room. Pausing, Kagome took a second to glance over her shoulder at Inuyasha. _I need to bring a blanket out for him too._ One thing was certain; she wasn't looking forward to when he woke up…

*******************

Finding Myoga turned out to be far simpler than she had expected. It was ten minutes past midnight and she was halfway to the temple where he spent most of his time when she nearly stumbled over him.

"Hello Kagome," he said, smiling up at her. She had met several land gods throughout her life, and Myoga was by far the shortest of them all. Most others spent considerable energy giving themselves a grand and hauntingly beautiful appearance. Myoga, on the other hand, remained a small, almost feeble looking old man.

"Myoga!" Kagome said, holding a hand to her heart at the sudden appearance of the old man. She took a second to catch her breath. "I was looking for you."

He smiled. "I know."

"I take it you know why too?"

"I believe I do." _Good, so I don't have to explain it._ "You are worried about Yumi and the upcoming ritual. You fear that because you haven't told her the entire truth about who she is, she will be unprepared for her life as an adult. There is also the strain this is causing to your relationship with Inuyasha." Kagome stood there, stunned. Everything he said was true, but unexpected. "Oh, and there is Sango's problem."

"Hearing you say that…"

"It all seems a bit overwhelming, doesn't it?" Kagome nodded. "And I fear the worst is yet to come."

"It can get worse?" She had meant it lightly, but his expression told her just how grave the situation was.

"Sadly, yes."

She gave him a sad smile. "You're not going to tell me what it is, are you?"

He had a sorrowful expression as he shook his head. "I am bound by the rules of my people. It is not yet my time to become involved."

Taking a deep breath of the cool night air, Kagome pushed her hair back before letting it fall against her back. "You know how things are going to turn out, don't you?"

"I know only of possible outcomes. The future is always shifting."

"Free will."

"Yes."

Kagome chuckled. "I wish I could see the future right now."

"About Inuyasha?"

"Yeah."

Myoga bowed his head, his face scrunched in concentration. Kagome waited patiently as the man thought. "He will be angry."

"Wonderful," she muttered.

"But it will soon pass."

"That's good to hear." Immediately, she felt a little better about tomorrow.

"I'm afraid not. His anger will pass not because of forgiveness, but will be forgotten due to greater emotions: worry and fear." He held up his hand, stopping her question before it even formed. "I cannot speak any more about this. More and I will begin to have an effect on the future."

"I understand." There were a thousand questions she wanted to ask, but she quietly pushed them aside. Remembering that she originally came for Sango, she figured that it was a safe topic to switch to. "And Sango?"

"I shall meet with her tomorrow."

"Where?"

"At the temple where I usually reside. She may come at any time. I will be waiting."

Kagome gave Myoga a hopeful smile. "Any chance you could give me a hint of how the Sango-Miroku thing will turn out? I promise I won't tell anyone."

"Their relationship fails." She felt her shoulders slump as her heart seemed to fall in her chest. It wasn't what she wanted to hear. "They work out their problems and their relationship is saved but continues in an awkward limbo, never moving forward. They recover their relationship and share a long and happy marriage. They recover their relationship and enjoy a short marriage which breaks up later due to infidelity on both sides. Sango accepts their current relationship and they both live happily together, sharing one another with multiple partners. Sango accepts their current relationship and lives a miserable life with Miroku who she shares with multiple partners. Sango accepts their current relationship and lives a wonderful life with Miroku who she shares with multiple partners."

"Okay, okay, I get it. The future is how we make it," Kagome said, holding her hands out in front of her, mind spinning with Myoga's possible predictions.

Myoga smiled, amused. "There are six thousand seven hundred and thirteen possible outcomes of how Sango and Miroku's relationship will turn out. An endless amount if you count subtle differences between them. Some are more likely than others, but none are impossible."

She shook her head in amazement. "How do you even keep track of this stuff?"

"It is the same way you know how to absorb energy from your partner or how to breathe: you just know."

Kagome sighed. "I just hope everything works out well for her. I wish I could help more."

"You will, and at the same time, she will help you."

"With what?" He was silent. "Right, you can't tell me."

"I am sorry."

"Just curious, but why can't you? I mean, seeing the future is an amazing ability. Aren't you tempted to step in and guide people to a certain happy outcome?"

"Long ago, we tried. We land gods appeared to a few key humans and gave them warnings and words of guidance. We were sure we could guide humanity in the right direction with their assistance. We were wrong. With free will, we had no control over how they used our words. They took our warnings and used them to their own advantage. Twisting our guidance, they used it for their own personal gain. None were expected outcomes. We were so sure things would go as we saw them. It proved that we were not as infallible as we believed."

"I had no idea."

He smiled bitterly. "Not many people do. Few people who lived during that time survived. The number that has survived to today is even fewer."

Kagome gave a weary sigh, leaning back against the stone wall. "Now I'm _really_ not looking forward to tomorrow."

"Focus on the present and take each day one at a time. Trust yourself and those around you and things will work out."

She raised an eyebrow in interest. "Sounds to me like you just gave me some advice. Won't that have an effect on the future?"

He shrugged. "It was vague enough that it only made sixty two possibilities less likely and four more likely. It is small price for making you feel better."

"I don't _feel_ better."

"You will," he said, getting to his feet. "Now if you will excuse me…" He began to hobble off down the road. "Do not forget to tell Sango about our meeting tomorrow. I look forward to it."

Kagome watched him until he turned a corner, disappearing from sight. "Right…" Taking a deep breath, she dug her hands in her pockets and headed home.

*******************

Inuyasha was every bit as furious as she expected he would be, but instead of the argument she had been sure would follow, he was silent. In fact, he didn't talk to her at all. Ignoring even her most profuse apologies, he immediately shut himself in their bedroom. Luckily, Sango had awoke before him and managed to change her clothes and leave the room before he stormed into their room and locked the door behind him.

"Are you two going to be okay?" Sango asked, giving a concerned look over her shoulder towards the closed door as she tugged at her tight top. As Kagome suspected, her shirts were a couple sizes too small for Sango. Either of them could have corrected it with magic, but Sango refused to use it and the stress and worry had taken its toll on Kagome's energy store. Not to mention the fact that she hadn't used magic as powerful as a charm spell in quite awhile. It exhausted her more than she remembered.

Kagome thought back to Myoga's words the night before. "Eventually, yeah." She smiled, resting her hands on Sango's shoulders. "You don't have to leave so soon. I can fix something to eat first."

Sango politely shook her head. "No thanks. You've done enough for me already. Besides…" She glanced over towards Yumi who hummed happily as she watched TV. "You have enough to worry about."

"Well if you need a place to stay, you're always welcome here."

"I know. Thanks for everything." Wrapping each other in a tight hug, they remained connected for several long seconds before slowly untwining. Taking a deep breath, Sango moved towards the door with Kagome in tow. "Good luck," she said, opening the door.

"Thanks," Kagome said, watching as Sango stepped out the door. Closing the door tightly, Kagome moved back into the apartment.

"Mommy, why is Daddy mad?"

Smiling, Kagome moved over to sit next to her daughter. Wrapping her arm around her, she pulled her tight. "Daddy is mad because Mommy told him what to do."

Yumi clicked her tongue several times as she quickly tossed her head side to side. "Daddy doesn't like that. He likes telling other people what to do."

Giving the child an amused smile, Kagome tightened her grip on her. "That's right."

Yumi frowned, looking down. She played with the bottom of her shirt as she spoke. "Is Daddy going to leave like Uncle Miroku?"

Blinking in surprise, Kagome looked down at the anxious girl. "What? No! Of course not!"

"But both Aunt Sango and Uncle Miroku are fighting and he left."

Kagome narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "You were listening to us, weren't you?"

Yumi nodded slowly. "I know Daddy didn't want me to hear, so I tried to watch TV…" She looked up at her mother, eyes wide with fright. "Am I in trouble?"

Squeezing her, Kagome tapped her nose gently. "No, of course not. Just don't tell Daddy you were listening. And Mommy and Daddy are fighting because of different things than Sango and Miroku. So don't worry, okay?" She gave her daughter a wide smile. Several seconds later, Yumi smiled as well.

"Okay!"

"Good, now how about some breakfast?"

"I want pancakes!" the young girl squealed.

Kagome wondered if she had the required ingredients for pancakes. Getting up off the couch, she headed towards the kitchen. "Let me check if I can make them." She had just opened the refrigerator when the doorbell rang. Frowning, she looked towards the door as she closed the refrigerator and walked towards the front door. It was a little early for visitors. _Did Sango forget something?_ Peering out though the small hole, her eyes widened at the sight of who waited outside. Unlocking the door, she quickly swung it open. "Mom? Kikyo? What are you doing here?"

"We have a problem," her mother said, pushing her way inside. Dread passed over Kagome at her mother's words, briefly remembering the warning Myoga had given her the previous night.

"Grandma!" Yumi screamed, rushing forward into the older woman's arms.

"Oh my, you're getting big!" she said, happily scooping the girl off her feet. She turned her head back to speak to Kagome. "Kikyo will fill you in." Attention back to Yumi, she carried her off towards the living room, taking in hushed tones and tickling the laughing girl.

Kagome watched her mother disappear around the corner before looking over at Kikyo who was doing the same. "What's this all about?" Looking around, Kikyo gestured for Kagome to step outside with her. Once outside, Kagome set her hands against her hips as her sister closed the door. "Well?"

"Nana and Aya are dead," Kikyo said grimly.

"T-that's terrible."

"That's not the worst of it. They were poisoned."

Frowning, Kagome gave her sister a disbelieving look. "Poisoned? How is that even possible?" As far as Kagome was aware, succubi were immune to poison. In fact, nearly all demons were either completely immune to poison or had an incredibly high tolerance to it.

The worried expression on Kikyo's face did little to relieve her own growing anxiety. "We don't know."

"Then what _do_ you know?"

"Not much I'm afraid. We found evidence that they were feeding at the time they were poisoned."

Kagome looked down, crossing her arms as she thought. "Where did you find them?" she said, returning her gaze back to her sister.

"Both were found outside mother's store—inside the illusion charm."

Her eyes went wide. "Then—"

Kikyo nodded. "It wasn't an accident. Whoever did this knew what they were and knew what they were doing. Mom's spells aren't something an amateur can break past, especially without raising any sort of alarms."

"So what—this was a warning?"

Kikyo shrugged. "Or a declaration." Her voice lowered. "Mom and I think it's the Silver Cross. Odds are, we aren't the only ones to think so."

"Impossible! They were wiped out years ago."

"Naraku wasn't the only ranking person in the Order. With Sango's help, we managed to track down a lot of them over the years, but we haven't got all of them." When Kagome still didn't look convinced, Kikyo continued. "It's the best we have. They have the knowledge to do something like this and the hatred to actually put it in motion."

"Okay, so if I do go along with this crazy idea, what do we do now?"

Kikyo gave her a sheepish smile. "Actually, we came to ask _you_ that."

"What? Me? Why?"

"You're Mother after all."

Kagome frowned. "In name only, Mom still does all the actual work."

"Until something important comes along. Kagome, like it or not, you _are_ the leader of our people now."

"I haven't the slightest idea of what to do!"

"It's because you don't try." Both Kagome and Kikyo jumped at the sound of their mother's voice. Beside them, their mother silently closed the door behind her as she joined them. "You hold yourself at arm's length from your people. How do you make informed decisions when you try your best to have nothing to do with us?"

Kagome shifted uncomfortably. "It's not that I don't want to…"

"Inuyasha is going to have to accept you for who you are, it's as simple as that. He was the one that ultimately made the decision to marry you. Yes, you have duties as a wife, but before that, you have duties to your people."

"But—"

"Kagome, you and your daughter are the only two succubi not affected by the curse and until your daughter undertakes the ritual, I cannot attempt to remove it from others. That means that until then, you are the only true succubi left. You can do things we cannot. Please, I beg of you. Help us."

It was weird, hearing her mother like this. The strong and confident woman she had always known was vastly different than the weak and lost woman before her. It was unbearably painful to see. Even if she was always butting heads with her, Kagome wanted her old mother back. Even Kikyo seemed desperate.

"I understand," she answered finally, giving a slow nod. "I'm going to have to talk to Inuyasha about it first."

"Thank you!" her mother said, grabbing her hands and pressing them against her lips.

Kagome quickly withdrew her hands. "Stop it, both of you. It's weird seeing you like this."

Kikyo smiled, resting her hand on Kagome's shoulder. "I knew we could count on you. I'm looking forward to working with you again."

She brushed her sister's hand off. "Yeah, yeah, I got it. Now if you'll excuse me," she said, stepping past them to open the door. "If I'm going to be of any help, I have to patch things up with my husband first."

"Don't be too long," her mother said. "The longer we wait…"

"I know." Closing the door, she rested her head back against it. Two succubi were dead and more would undoubtedly die the longer it took to find out the cause behind it. Cold fear gripped at her as her thoughts drifted to Yumi. In less than two weeks, her daughter would need energy, not food, to survive. _If we don't find out before then…_ Her thoughts drifted back to her conversation with Myoga. _'I fear the worst is yet to come.'_

_Damn it Myoga, I hate when you're right._

*******************

"Are you sure it was okay not to tell her?" Kikyo asked, giving an anxious glance over her shoulder towards Kagome's apartment building. "I mean, wouldn't it be better if she knew?"

"No, I don't want to worry her any more than we already have. Besides, it concerns us more at the moment than her."

"But the neck marks—"

"Prove that it isn't an actual vampire," her mother snapped.

"I think an actual vampire would be welcome at this point. A vampire we could fight against, but a human with vampire traits? It could be anyone."

"We just have to be cautious about who we feed on. It isn't a true vampire, so the poison is weak."

"Tell that to Nana and Aya," Kikyo muttered bitterly.

Her mother sighed. "I know it's frustrating, but we have to do our best and deal with it."

"And what about Inuyasha?"

"What about him?" her mother parried, glancing over.

"One of the reasons we came here was so you could check him out." When her mother was silent, Kikyo placed her hand on her mother's shoulder, stopping her. "Well?"

"I'm worried about him."

Kikyo's eyebrows rose. "Oh? Here I thought you didn't really care for the guy."

"It's not that. I'm worried about him being so close to Yumi and Kagome."

"Why?"

Her mother shrugged off her hand. "It's just a feeling I get."

"A feeling?" Kikyo said flatly. She resumed walking. "Here I thought it would be something more profound."

"Something's different about him."

Kikyo turned around to face her mother, walking backwards. "Yeah, he's a half-demon now. Of course things are going to be different about him. Maybe his powers are awakening or something."

"I certainly hope not!"

"Huh? I thought you said it would be okay for that to happen."

"Well normally, yes, but for him to develop powers means his body is more accepting of the demon entity inside it."

"What's so bad about that? If he embraces more of the demon, maybe he'll lay off Kagome some."

"The entity inside him is _evil_ Kikyo. Naraku was trying to summon a demon from the other realm. There is a reason why they are locked away from our realm. I would find it suspicious if Inuyasha's powers started awakening the exact moment a man with vampire traits is nearby."

"You think they have something to do with each other?"

"I pray they are not."

"And if they are?"

"…Then we have harrowing times ahead of us…"

*******************

**Another chapter finished. Thanks to Jay for editing.**

**Hope everyone is enjoying the story so far. Hopefully I'll have another chapter for next week. Thanks to everyone who left a review. I appreciate them.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any characters associated with it. This story is rated for a mature audience.**

**Citrus Warning (For entire story) **

*******************

Climbing the stairs, Sango glanced cautiously around the temple grounds. She wasn't too surprised when she discovered that she was the only one there. She had felt the barrier that Myoga had placed around the temple so they could talk in private, but even without the barrier, this particular temple was rarely visited. It was a pity considering it was one of the better-kept of the cities' ancient temples. She found Myoga sitting near the shrine, his eyes closed as he sat patiently with his legs crossed.

"You're early," he said, not moving, his eyes still closed.

She stood awkwardly in front of the small man, towering above him. "I…I didn't know there was a specific time. Kagome told me—"

Holding up a hand, he silenced her. Twisting it, he gestured in front of him. Stepping carefully up to the shrine area, Sango moved in front of him, dropping to kneel a few feet from the stairs. Suddenly, his eyes opened, staring at her. "I have long since anticipated this day."

She frowned. "You knew I would come here?"

"I had hoped you would. From the very moment I met you, I prayed that I would get this chance to help you."

Sango perked up at the words. "So you _can_ help me, right?"

"Yes and no." Her smile disappeared. "I can only point you in the right direction. Your success or failure will be determined by you."

She took a deep breath. "I was expecting something like this. So what do I have to do?"

"Breaking a contract with a demon is not something that can be easily done."

"I know," she said, getting annoyed. She already knew it wasn't going to be easy. All she needed to know was _how_ she could break it. _Once I'm free from the contract, Miroku and I…_ She stopped mid-thought. They had broken up, meaning even after she finished the contract, she still had to find a way to mend her relationship with Miroku. _I need to focus on one thing at a time. First the contract, _then_ Miroku._ "But I will do it anyway."

He nodded, as if she had given him the correct answer. "Very well, I shall tell you how to break the contract." She unconsciously leaned forward, heart pounding in anticipation. "You must fulfill the demon's wish."

There was a long silence as it sunk in. "Huh?"

"The demon that you have a contract with, if you fulfill its wish, it is contractually obligated to fulfill one of yours. Fulfill its wish and then wish to be free from the contract in return."

"That's it?"

"While it may sound simple, realize that it is far from easy. Some demons require you to sacrifice the ones you love most or to perform some other heinous deed. Also, you _must_ remember to make your wish clear at the beginning. If it agrees to your wish, be sure to have it tell you the _exact_ task it requires of you. Demons are quite cunning and often trick people into doing more than they originally thought that they agreed to."

Sango shifted uncomfortably. "And how do I contact my demon?"

"You've talked to it several times before, yes?"

A shiver ran through her body. Those were not pleasant experiences and she hoped to never relive them. "I have, but it always came to me. Besides, I haven't felt its presence in years."

"Hmm… curious. I can sense it around and within you." Myoga's brow furrowed in concentration as he squinted at Sango. "Though it is considerably weaker than it was when I first met you."

"Weaker?" Sango felt a surge of hope run though her. _If it's weak then—_

"I would not be happy. Demons that have been weakened are far more dangerous than those who retain their power. You can appeal to the egos of the ones with power and use its arrogance to more readily trick it into giving a simple task. Those that have lost a considerable amount of power are desperate to regain it and are cautious when entering deals with their humans."

"So what do I do?"

"You wait."

"Wait? _Wait?!_ I _can't_ wait! I need to dissolve this contract as soon as possible!"

"You must have patience. In time, the demon will gather enough strength to manifest itself once more. It has to know that you are looking to break the contract now. I expect it will make its appearance soon."

"So what do I do in the mean time?" she huffed.

"Prepare yourself. For what, I cannot say, but prepare yourself both physically and mentally."

She clenched her fists in anger. "I'm ready _now_! Isn't there some way I can speed things up?" Myoga frowned unhappily. "If there is, I want to know!"

"There is a way that may enable you to contact the demon once more."

"Tell me."

"I must warn you that this way might—"

"Just tell me!" she growled in frustration. _This is why I hate land gods so much! _

He sighed, shaking his head slowly. "It may be possible if you temporarily sever your connection to the one closest to you and clear your mind for a fraction of a second."

"Exactly how do I do that?" She wasn't too comfortable with the 'sever your connection' part, but she needed to know her options. The sooner she got this done, the sooner she could start mending things with Miroku. The longer it dragged out, the harder it would be to apologize.

Opening his mouth, Myoga suddenly stopped before words left his mouth. Pressing his lips tightly together, he scratched his head as he thought. "For you, normal methods might be too difficult."

"Thanks," she muttered bitterly.

"Most humans would have trouble attaining this state through meditation, not just you."

"But there is a way for me to do it, right?"

"…Yes."

"And that way is?"

"Hmm… Sex would probably be the most effective, although crude, way of achieving this."

"You can't be serious."

"I am."

"But I've had sex with Miroku more times than I can count and—"

"And that is why. Miroku is the one closest to you. I said you must temporarily sever that connection. It has become too strong for the weakened demon to overcome, meaning you have effectively blocked it out. Severing the connection and clearing your mind, even for a second, would allow the demon to reconnect itself to you and communicate."

She took a deep breath. "So I need to have sex with someone other than Miroku? Once I do that, I'll be able to talk to the demon again?"

"Correct. The heightened feeling of orgasm should overwhelm the mind long enough for the connection to be repaired."

It was awkward to hear the old man talk about sex so matter-of-factly. Sango sat in silence for a long time, her mind working furiously. Sleep with someone other than Miroku? _I've done it before…_ She thought back to the last time she had been with another guy besides Miroku, only to realize it seemed like a lifetime ago._ Besides, we've broken up._ She mulled over that last thought. _If we _have_ broken up, why doesn't it feel like it?_ Yes, it hurt to think about Miroku, but at the same time, it just didn't _feel_ like they had broken up. It felt like they were just having a prolonged argument and in a couple days, they would reaffirm their relationship with hours of passionate make-up sex.

"If you are uncomfortable, you can always just wait—"

"No, I'm fine. I can do this," she said quickly. For some reason, she felt like she was telling it to herself rather than Myoga. _Besides, he's the one who said we should see other people._

"I am glad you are pursuing this, but sometimes patience—"

"I've been living with this damn thing my entire life. I think I've been _more_ than patient. The sooner I get this thing out…" She took a deep breath. "Thank you for everything," she said with a deep bow before climbing to her feet.

"If that is all you require, I wish you the best of luck."

Not wanting to stay any longer than she had too, Sango quickly shot down the stairs and headed towards the exit. Only when she was outside temple grounds did she slow her pace. Stopping, she closed her eyes. Her stomach growled, angry that she had decided to skip Kagome's offer of a meal. Sighing, she headed towards the inner-city. There was a lot to think about and the last thing she wanted was thinking on an empty stomach.

*******************

Inuyasha was fuming. It took every ounce of will to keep from tearing the bedroom apart. Yes, both he and Kagome were in an emotionally charged situation and the argument had gotten heated fast, but even still, it gave her no excuse to use magic on him. Had she used her magic to toss something at him, depending on what that thing was, he might have been more forgiving, but charm spells turned him into a puppet. He had _no_ memories of being under the control of the spell, none. It was like that period of time never existed. What made matters worse was that she used it not once but _twice_, the second in fright because she knew she had messed up.

_Maybe that's why I'm so mad,_ he thought as he sat on the edge of his bed, bent double with his hands on his head. She had broken a promise, but instead of dealing with the consequences, she chose to run. _And things were going so well too…_ For a brief moment, his anger focused on Miroku and to some extent, Sango. Inuyasha and Kagome had some big problems, but they were starting to work through them when the whole Sango-Miroku mess destroyed all the progress they had made. _Blasted it to pieces and then stomped on it is probably a more accurate description._

"Shit," he muttered, pinching the tip of his nose as he closed his eyes. He already knew this wasn't the type of argument to fix itself in a day or two. _Which means the sex is going to be incredibly awkward._ Kagome was bound to need more energy soon too. He knew she had used quite a bit the day before, not to mention the physical and emotional drain of yesterday's events. There had been only one other time he and Kagome had fought when she needed feeding. Before they were married, Inuyasha had inadvertently angered her. He couldn't remember what exactly he had said to set her off, only that she had gotten extremely pissed. It was one of the few times that he feared that she would feed from someone else. He remembered the cold feeling in his stomach. Even though she hadn't, it was an experience he vowed to do all in his power to prevent from reoccurring.

Even though he wanted to know who was at the door, he remained inside. He heard Yumi talking to someone, but couldn't make out the voice. Ten minutes after the doorbell had rung, he was pacing impatiently from one side of his room to the other. His curiosity was driving him crazy. After fifteen minutes, he wanted nothing more than to bust down the door and figure out what was going on. Finally, he could bare it no longer. Reaching for the door, he was about to turn the handle when a soft knock sounded on the door, making him jump in surprise.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome's voice was soft, muffled by the wooded door.

He quickly shot away from the door and sat on the bed. For a second, he debated whether to keep silent or not. "What?" he asked, putting a little more hostility in his voice than intended.

"I… We really need to talk." She was silent for a second, as if waiting for him to respond. "Can I come in?"

"It's your room too, do what you want." The door opened slowly, Kagome sliding inside before gently closing it behind her. She looked like a school girl who had just been called into the principal's office. Her head was bowed and it appeared as though she was trying to make herself as small of a target as possible.

Cautiously, she looked up at him. "I know that this won't fix things, but I _am_ sorry. I…I let my emotions get the best of me and I—"

"What's Yumi doing?" Inuyasha asked coldly, cutting off her apology.

"She's in the living room. I asked her to watch TV for awhile."

Before she could continue with her apology, he interrupted. "Is that all?"

He knew immediately that he had just flipped a switch in Kagome. Her expression darkened. "I came in here to apologize. You could at least let me finish."

"It'll probably be easier if you just order me to listen."

"Maybe I will," she snapped. They both glared at one another in silence. Kagome was the first to back down, lowering her head as she pressed a hand to her forehead. "I didn't come here to fight Inuyasha."

He exhaled noisily. "Just give me a few hours to—"

"My sister and mother stopped by," she cut in.

He was silent a moment, caught off guard by her sudden interruption. "I thought I heard some people moving around."

"Nana and Aya are dead." Inuyasha was lost, not recognizing the names. "They are two succubi who lived near here."

"I-I'm sorry to hear that," he said, not quite sure what else he could say. He knew that many succubi had migrated into the area since Kagome became their 'leader', but never bothered to find out more. Since Kagome was more of a leader in name only, he never expected any of it would be relevant.

"They were killed Inuyasha, poisoned. You know what this means, right?"

His eyes widened. "Is it the Order?" Just the mention of the name bought haunting memories of the crazed priest Naraku who tried, and almost succeeded, to make him a human sacrifice. _If they are back…_ He was stronger now than he was back then, but strong enough to protect his family? He didn't want to find out.

Kagome wearily shrugged her shoulders. "We don't know. Kikyo and mother are looking into it." There was a second of hesitation. "I need to help them."

"No! Absolutely not!" he shouted, taking an intimidating step closer to her. "There is no way I'm going to let you go running around a city crawling with Order members!"

"They need my help." Even though his voice was raised, her voice was steady and calm. "Besides, we don't even know for sure if the Order is the one who is doing this. If they are, they have a fraction of the power they did in the past."

"And how do you know? It's been years since we heard from them. They could've been using that time to rebuild."

"If they really had that much power, they wouldn't have tried to use poison." She held up her hand, stopping him from saying anything. "Inuyasha, I know why you are against this, but it's something I _have_ to do." When he tried to speak up, she cut him off. "Two weeks."

"Two weeks?"

"Yumi's ritual is coming up and with it, our hopes of breaking the curse. Once the curse that affects my people is broken, I can officially pass the leadership role back to my mother. Until then, I need to do everything in my power to help them." Inuyasha slowly sank onto the bed. Moving over to the bed, Kagome sat anxiously beside him, almost an arm-length gap between them. "Please," she whispered softly, unable to look at him.

The silence seemed to stretch for eternity as Inuyasha tried to find something to say, only to realize there was nothing he _could_ say. No matter how much he wished otherwise, Kagome had other responsibilities than mother and wife. There were a lot of people, heck an _entire_ race, who relied on her and it was his job to support her as best he could. "And Yumi?" he finally asked, breaking the silence.

She met his gaze wide-eyed, no doubt surprised at how easily he had caved. "What about her?"

"Who's going to watch over her?"

Licking her lips, she shifted in place, folding her hands in her lap. "I was… hoping you could. I know you have to work," she added quickly. "But you said Sango and Miroku could finish without you, right?"

"Yeah, before their relationship melted down." His mind briefly wandered, wondering if Miroku was working. _I know Sango isn't…_ He forced his thoughts to refocus on the conversation. Work could wait until later. "But I guess I could do most of the work here. For what I can't, I'll just have to take her with me."

He scratched at the back of his neck. "So… a-are you going to be gone long?" He wanted to know, but at the same time, didn't. She couldn't go more than a few days without feeding, less if she actually had to use magic. Being gone for a long period of time meant she would need to feed from someone else. It made him queasy just thinking about it.

Smiling, she rested her hand against his leg. "I'm not going anywhere far. Whoever is doing this is in this city and I doubt they're going to leave anytime soon." She tightened her grip. "We made a promise to only be with each other and I'm not going to break it."

He nodded, feeling relieved. Kagome was strong, both emotionally and physically. Inuyasha felt slightly ashamed by his selfishness. She was carrying the hopes and dreams of hundreds of her people and still continued to be a mother and play wife and all he was doing was trying to keep her all to himself. One thought dominated his consciousness, repeating itself over and over again. _I need to become stronger…_

*******************

Dante felt sick. He had done more than his share of terrible deeds in his life, but this current one weighed on him like no other. In his job as a professional killer, he had killed women before, but he had never slept with any who he later killed.

Staring down at his latest target, he hurriedly finished buttoning his shirt. The pretty brunette peered blankly at the ceiling, her mouth slightly agape from her struggle with him. Near where her neck met her shoulder was another red mark he had made during his blackout. _She's not human… She's not human…_ Repeating it over and over did little to help, not when she _looked_ human. Hell, they _all_ looked human. Not only that, they _acted_ human. If he hadn't been told otherwise, he would never have known they were demons. _If they even are_. Since they looked and acted human, he really only had the word of his employers - who were shady individuals at best.

The worst part about this entire situation was the blackouts. At first, he had just thought it had been a fluke but this was his seventh target and every time he had blacked out only to awaken and find the wom—demon dead, his body scratched to hell and the red mark on their necks.

He tapped at his pockets, looking around the hotel room and making sure he had everything he came in with. Satisfied that he had everything, he quickly left the room. Erik was waiting with the limo outside, the big Russian leaning against the long vehicle. The man straightened as Dante exited the building, moving over to the door and opening it for him.

"We need to get a less conspicuous vehicle to move around in. This is drawing too much attention," Dante said as he slid past the Russian and lowered himself into the car, the door shutting behind him. He waited until the man walked around the car and took his seat. "Can you get us something less noticeable?"

"I'll ask around." The man smiled, eyeing Dante through the rearview mirror. "What? I can't believe you aren't enjoying this. What I wouldn't give to be in your position right now! You ride around in a limo, eat and dress like a king. And the women you pick up! Guys would kill to be you right now."

"Even if they knew they would kill the women they picked up?"

The big man shrugged his massive shoulders. "Who cares? They aren't human right?"

_So people say…_ He wasn't sure he was entirely convinced, not until he saw some sort of evidence. _Maybe I'll find one with wings and a tail._ Snickering to himself, he shook his head. _Right before it kills me._ At this point, he might welcome that.

"So where to next?"

Dante looked down at the list he had printed off before scratching out the name and face of the brunette. His stomach felt like it had just performed a barrel roll as it shook painfully in his gut, reminding him how long since it had last been fed. Resting his hand against his stomach, he took a deep breath. He hadn't eaten since he first began this mission, not feeling up to it while he was still coming to grips with his new M.O., and it was beginning to take its toll. Even though the last thing he wanted to do at the moment was eat, his body craved it.

"I need something to eat."

"Anything in particular?"

"You pick."

"You got it."

Dante rested his head against the window, peering out at the city as it passed by. Gradually his eyes grew heavy and he descended into nightmarish dreams.

*******************

Miroku sat alone in the office, mindlessly tapping away at the keyboard. Pausing, he glanced over his shoulder at Sango's empty desk. Shaking his head, he turned back to the screen, continuing his typing once more. Several minutes passed before he threw the keyboard from his desk, sending it clattering against the floor before it snapped its cable and came to a stop against the wall.

"Shit," he muttered as he ran his hands through his hair, resting his elbows against the desk. Sango hadn't shown up for work, not that he had expected her to. He knew that she had gone to Inuyasha's and undoubtedly spent the night there as well. There was no way to be sure however, since he hadn't returned home to check, spending the night with Avery instead.

_Why can't our relationship be like it was in the past?_ He missed those days. It was because he wanted to avoid drama like this that he was always hesitant about entering a deep relationship with women. Sango was never an ordinary woman to him. She was special, and would forever remain special. To be honest, he had been against entering a closed relationship with her. Had it been anyone other than Sango, he would have immediately turned the idea down. While hesitant and anxious about ending a chapter in his life and beginning a new one, he knew that if he could do it with anyone, it would be Sango. At the time, he had no regrets. It was far less troublesome than he expected it to be. There were times when they were out that he felt disappointed knowing everyone was off-limits, but he could deal with it. Sango was beyond happy, and therefore, so was he. With each day that passed, his confidence that the relationship would work grew.

He had always known that Sango was a woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with, but he needed six months to confidently say she could be the _only_ woman he wanted to spend his life with. So he bought a ring. He knew how happy Kagome was when Inuyasha proposed, so he guessed that Sango would have a similar reaction. What pained him most was the proposal had been nearly flawless in its own cliché way. A romantic candlelit dinner at an expensive restaurant, a fantastic bottle of wine and soothing music, it really couldn't have been any more perfect. On one knee and everything… he opened the box, she gave him that surprised, shocked look from the ring to him, to the ring, to him again. And just when she would have completed the perfect night with her 'yes,' the only thing she said was a pained, 'I can't...' and left. So he just sat there, confused, angry, miserable… numb to the world around him.

She didn't return home that night. In fact, the next time he saw her was three days after. He had worried he would never see her again, that she had just disappeared from his life. Yet three days later, she returned and proceeded to live like nothing had ever happened between them. As if the night he had proposed had never happened. Not knowing what else to do, and not really wanting to bring it up in fear she would disappear again, he played along, pretending nothing was wrong but at the same time, his mind begged for an answer. It had been a long two weeks. And then Avery entered the picture and effectively destroyed the fragile play the two had put on.

For the most part, Miroku remembered most of what happened that night. After drinking far more than they should have, they began talking to the slightly buzzed Avery who joined them. In retrospect, he now guessed the reason they drank so much was to escape the weight of the failed proposal they had never really discussed. It had been harmless, meaningless talk at first before Avery mentioned her failed attempt at picking up Inuyasha. The conversation quickly moved from how living in Europe was to talking about Avery's escapades with married men before eventually ending with the threesomes Sango and Miroku participated in their younger years. Avery, who at that time had never been in one, had a million questions.

Miroku knew a lot of what happened that night was his fault. He was the one who proposed it. At first, it had been more of a joke-but-not-a-joke. It hadn't been for Avery, he knew she was interested just from talking to her. Instead, it had been intended for Sango as a sort of test. Had she laughed it off as a joke, effectively saying no to the idea, he wouldn't have pursued it any farther. But that wasn't what happened. Tossing the notion of a closed relationship aside, she readily agreed. Even if she was drunk, she would have said 'no' if she didn't like the idea, right? _Right_?

_So confusing!_ He thought, scratching his head in frustration before staring at the screen blankly. He knew Sango was bisexual. A very long time ago when they were dating, he had asked her if she would ever have sex with a woman. It had been a joke at first and he fully expected to get pounded on for asking something so disgusting. Her answer had surprised him. In fact, it was because of her answer their relationship evolved into the open relationship they shared until recent months.

Miroku wondered if he was abnormal. In talking with Inuyasha over the course of his marriage, Miroku had learned one thing about his friend, that he would never willingly share Kagome with anyone. Just the thought would deeply upset his friend. The mention of what her succubus past was like created a dangerous attitude in Inuyasha. A few times, Miroku thought his friend was going to deck him from bringing it up. In fact, most men probably thought that way about their loved one. But Miroku didn't think that way. He loved Sango, yet at the same time, if she were to suddenly announce she had sex with another man, it wouldn't bring about the same emotions Inuyasha would have if Kagome announced it to him. He would feel _something_, but nothing to the extreme Sango had shown. Even married, if Sango had come up to him and asked to sleep with another man, he probably he would've allowed it provided he met the guy first. He believed it was the openness what made their relationship work so well in the past. Yes, he would admit he probably abused their open relationship more than he should have, but she had never said anything until proposing they tried a closed relationship.

Sighing, he slumped against the desk, resting his head on his arms. _I never should have proposed,_ he thought miserably. This entire situation wouldn't exist then. _But if you didn't propose, then what would be the point of the relationship?_ a small voice questioned. He began steadily banging his head against the desk. "Stupid, stupid, stupid," he repeated with each thump. "At the very least, I should have shut up yesterday." If sleeping with Avery had split them up, then yesterday had bought Sango a one-way plane ticket across the ocean.

His cell phone rang, interrupting his self-punishment. For a second, he hoped the caller ID would be Sango. His heart sank in his chest slightly at Inuyasha's name. "Hello?" he asked. He knew he sounded miserable, but he didn't care at this point.

"You okay?" Miroku was silent. "Okay, right, I'm sorry."

"Sango over there?"

"No, she left this morning. From what Kagome said, she isn't coming back today."

"Where's she going?"

"You sure are asking a lot of questions about a woman you broke up with."

"I was angry okay?" he grumbled.

"I told you to isolate yourself and let things calm down. I can't help it you wanted to throw explosives in the fire."

"On a scale of one to ten with ten being easy success, what are my chances of fixing things with her?"

"Negative three."

"You're kidding," Miroku moaned sullenly, sinking back down onto the desk. "It's hopeless then?"

"I don't know… Where were you last night?"

"At home."

"Okay, where were you _really?_"

"… With Avery," he admitted softly.

"Right. See why I say negative three? How can you talk about fixing it when you're still tearing things into ever finer pieces?" There was a long silence. Miroku closed his eyes, resting his forehead against the hard wood of the desk. He heard Inuyasha sigh heavily. "My advice is this: give it some time. Go home and stay there. Alone. Sango will have to show up to get her stuff... hopefully. Apologize profusely and pray for the best."

"That's it? You seriously think that will work?"

"It's the only thing you _can_ do. If it was a normal relationship, there would be zero chance to fix things, but you and Sango have never had a truly normal relationship. The fact that you've dated and been with other people at the same time means you might have a small chance of starting over."

"Right…"

"But all this aside, how's the program coming?"

Sighing, Miroku sat up. Cradling the phone between his shoulder and head, he reached for the keyboard only to find it wasn't there. Confused, he looked around before remembering he had thrown it off the desk in a rage earlier. "Uh, good I guess." He was happy to be talking about something else. "It's coming along great considering I'm the only one working on it."

"Make that two."

"Oh, you're finally going to do something eh?" Miroku asked, smiling as he returned to holding his phone against his head.

"Yeah, yeah. I'll be working from home."

"Why home?"

"I have to watch Yumi."

"Doesn't Kagome do that?"

"… There are some things she needs to do."

Miroku knew there was a story behind it, one that Inuyasha obviously didn't want to talk about. "Oh, well that shouldn't be too big a problem. I'll take all the help I can get." He wanted to ask about Kagome, but knew that it wasn't a good idea. There were enough problems that he needed to deal with. Taking on another wasn't something he needed right now.

"Thanks."

"No problem. I'll probably call it a night soon and head home."

"Okay." Inuyasha sounded satisfied by Miroku's answer. "I'll talk to you later then."

"Yeah," he said before closing his phone, cutting the connection. Taking a deep breath, he continued to hold the phone in his hand. Opening it, he dialed Avery.

"Hello Miroku," she said happily. "You getting off soon? I'd love it if you'd come over and discuss the program with me."

The last thing they were going to do was discuss software. "Yeah, about that," he said, slowly licking his lips. "I think I'm going to have to cancel…"

*******************

Sango wasn't drunk, but she was close. After a quick stop at the apartment to grab some clothes, she set up in her new temporary home in a high-end hotel a few blocks from Kagome's. She didn't like accepting the hotel room from her, but Kagome had insisted the last thing she needed was money and that Sango shouldn't sleep anywhere but the best. In the room, she spent the next several hours preparing. A bath, makeup and one of her fancier dresses and she was ready. Anxiety twisted her stomach as she made her way down to the bar. It had been a long time since she picked up someone. Even when she had been dating Miroku, the few guys she slept with had all approached her.

As she nursed her drink, her thoughts were gradually pulled to the past. Things had been a lot better then. Not to say the last several months were terrible, far from it. But thinking back, there had been a certain charm that was now missing. It was like Miroku had become more subdued over the months.

Her thoughts were interrupted by another customer. "You look depressed," he said before flagging down the bartender. "Scotch please."

Sango was instantly annoyed with the man's cocky attitude. She knew what the man was after. The small talk he made with her focused mostly on him. How wonderful his company was doing, how essential he was to closing a multi-million dollar deal just the other day, how expensive his car was… it all boiled down to a simple, 'I don't care how much you cost, I want you.' To some brain-dead girls, on a yet undiscovered planet, it might have been attractive, even flattering. For Sango, it made her want to deck him and shove the gold watch, he was so proud of, straight up his ass.

But his interest in her saved her a lot of time and despite his attitude, she had to admit he was handsome. So she set a pretty smile on her face and nodded in feigned interest and laughed when he laughed, downing several drinks as he talked. He watched her empty drinks carefully, as if trying to judge her level of drunkenness. _Hurry up and make a move already!_ Finally, she could stand it no longer.

"Say… you have a room here?" she asked seductively, her voice low. He looked surprised at the question. _What a fucking prick,_ she thought, resisting the urge to kick the shit out of him. _Obviously, he's never gotten a woman who wasn't plastered. _With his pompous attitude, it wasn't hard to imagine why.

His charming, pompous façade collapsing, he quickly pulled out his credit card and flagged the bartender down, paying for both their tabs. The way he rushed about doing things made him look desperate, as if he was trying to get things going before she changed her mind.

The ride to the fourteenth floor wasn't as bad as she thought it would be, as he groped her from behind. His room was a few doors down from the elevator. Sango was half-naked before the impatient man pulled enough attention away from her to unlock his door. She quickly pushed him inside, not wanting to stand in the hall topless any longer than she had to. Inside, she was speedily stripped and tossed onto the bed. His naked body followed shortly after.

"Holy shit, these are a lot bigger than I thought they were," he muttered, burying his head between her breasts and grabbing at them. She bit her lower lip, trying to keep from crying out as he painfully ground them into her chest.

There was no foreplay, no preparation. He simply spread her legs and slammed himself inside, pausing only long enough to open the nearby condom and roll it on. Making loud grunting sounds, he made rapid thrusts into her as he grabbed and pulled on her breasts. It took several minutes before things began to feel good. By that time, his grunts had become long, guttural growls as he slowed his rapid thrusts to slow, powerful ones. Just a few of these powerful thrusts and he slammed himself into her, the condom swelling as he came, loudly crying out.

_Damn it! I'm never going to orgasm like this!_ Miroku wasn't the largest man in the world and was only slightly larger than this guy, but he more than made up for it with skill. This guy however… She was still working out how to make things work when he suddenly leaned down and kissed her. Blinking in surprise she set her hands against his bare chest to push him away, only to stop. His tongue running along her closed lips, she screwed her eyes closed, opening her mouth to allow him inside. It wasn't as bad as it could have been, but it was still terrible. Minutes passed as he continued to make out with her, his cock still buried inside her. It was awkward and uncomfortable and it wasn't soon enough when the man suddenly pulled away, smiling happily as he pulled out.

"That was amazing," he said, removing the condom and tossing it in the nearby wastebasket.

She smiled uneasily. "Y-yes," she responded, sitting up.

"I can't believe how amazing you are. I mean, you were pretty stunning in your dress but out of it…" He shook his head, blowing out nosily. "And those tits!" he said, grabbing them once more. "You have the largest breasts I've ever held! I love it!"

"A-ah," she said, uncomfortable with the situation. She eyed the basket of condoms on the stand next to the bed. "S-shall we go again?"

A smile slowly formed on his face. "You little slut! Just can't get enough of me, can ya?"

"U-un," she said, forcing a smile and resisting the urge to grit her teeth.

Pulling another condom from the basket, he slid it on. This time, she was positioned on the side of the bed as he happily humped her from behind, grabbing at her breasts like he was trying to rip them off. They went through several positions, even repeating some as she tried again and again to achieve an orgasm. If there was something noteworthy about the man, it was his ability to get it up, even if there was nothing left in the tank to give. As the night went on, Sango became more desperate. The last thing she wanted was to repeat this tomorrow with another man.

Finally, she took matters into her own hands. Climbing atop him, she pinned his hands to the bed as she ground herself down onto him. Closing her eyes, she moved her hips against him quickly; imaging the man inside her was another. Miroku's image was the only one she could see. Drowning out the man's groans and grunts, she moaned loudly. Finally, after countless attempts and countless letdowns, she felt herself getting close. _Miroku,_ she thought as she opened her eyes, his image disappearing and was replaced by the sweating man from the bar.

"Guh… I'm close!" he grunted out, thrusting up against her. _Just hold out a little more._ Picking up speed, she stared down at him. Her body began to tingle as she grew close. With a loud cry, she tossed her head back as her body tensed, quivering as she came. The instant the sudden overload of pleasure faded, she collapsed atop him from exhaustion. By the clock, she guessed they had been going at it for nearly four hours. It disgusted her. _Four hours to cum once?_ The only thing impressive was the time it took. It hadn't been horrible, but it was far from great. _I should count my blessings. I was lucky for one._

Before she could move, the man wrapped his arms around her. "I can't go anymore," he complained weakly. She tried to wiggle some to give the man a clue she didn't want to be held, but either he didn't figure that out or ignored them. Giving up, she lay there half against the man's chest as he held her tightly. Less than a minute later, his breathing was slow and heavy, his grip not loosening. Frowning, she stared at the wall, miserable.

Her thoughts drifted to Miroku. At this hour, he was probably with Avery, holding her in a similar fashion. It wasn't anger that accompanied the image, but exhaustion and loneliness. If tonight was an example of how a future without Miroku would be… _What is your wish,_ she cried out in her mind, desperately trying to establish communication with the demon that haunted her. _Tell me what you desire!_

Silence answered her. She sank deeper into misery. She had done everything the land god had told her she should do. Despite her best efforts, her demon still eluded her.

*******************

**Thanks again to Jay for his editing skills and for everyone who left a review. They are great motivators!**

**Hope everyone enjoyed this chapter. Please leave a review!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any characters associated with it. This story is rated for a mature audience.**

**Citrus Warning (For entire story) **

*******************

Sango awoke with a start. Groggy, she looked around as the cold air of the hotel room hit her bare chest. She was alone in the room. Judging by the absence of warmth from the spot next to her, she had been for quite a while. _Thank God for small favors._ She crossed her arms over her bare breasts as she slid out from under the covers. She couldn't remember getting under them, but from how cold the hotel room was, she was thankful she had.

She stretched her legs as she stood beside the bed. She was happy the man had made a silent escape and hadn't stuck around until morning. She knew from experience that the ones that did stick around caused awkward mornings. Wanting nothing more than to get into the shower to warm her skin and to wash off the grime from last night's activities, she headed towards the bathroom when something on the nearby nightstand caught her eye. Frowning, she lifted the envelope and examined both sides of the hefty object before opening it. The first to fall out was a hastily scribbled note. _Thanks for the wonderful night._ Crumpling the note, she tossed it over her shoulder in disgust. The envelope was still heavy, meaning something else was still inside. Tapping then envelope against her open palm, the contents finally loosened enough to slide out. Wide eyed, she examined the stack of bills. Just by looking at it, the amount had to be somewhere near a thousand, meaning the man's bragging hadn't been total bullshit. It also revealed what the man truly thought of her: that she was a whore.

Crunching the envelope and bills in her hand, she threw them angrily at the bed, the stack exploding in the air and money fluttering everywhere. The sound of a tongue clicking caused her to jump and swing around towards the direction that the sound was coming from. Her eyes widened as her blood froze.

"Now, now Sango. That's a lot of money and the man was _more_ than happy to pay it. Don't just throw it away!" Her mouth worked in silence as she struggled to form words. _Impossible! It can't be!_ The man stuck his lower lip out, his features taking a pouty look as he spread his arms. "What? No hellos for an old friend?"

"F-Father?" she stuttered, shaking her head in disbelief. "Y-you're dead!" she forced out in a whimper. It wasn't the cold that formed the goose-bumps across her flesh. It was as though every hair on her body stood out in fright.

"Me? Dead? Impossible." A wide smile formed on his face as he took a step towards her, his hand outstretched.

"Don't touch me!" she screamed, covering herself as she took a step back, cowering near the bed.

"That hurts Sango," he said, feigning hurt in his voice. He looked around the hotel room, focusing his attention mostly on the bed and at her. "And after going through such great lengths to summon me… I wonder what your man would think if he knew."

"That's none of your bus—" She stopped suddenly. "Wait… summon?"

He nodded slowly. "I must say, suddenly losing my corporal form was quite a blow. I invested a lot of power in possessing that man… and to lose it when I was so close to breaking into your realm." He shook his head slowly, sighing deeply.

"It was _you?_ This entire time? _You_ were behind it? _You_ have a contract with me?"

Naraku's smile widened. "Of course! Who picked the demon you were to contract with? Me, or I should say, my corporal form. Like I would share you with another demon." Once more, he reached for her only to have her shrink away.

Sango shook her head profusely, refusing to believe what her eyes or her ears. "It _couldn't_ have been you! You're just tricking me!"

He had a thoughtful look as he explained. "I must admit, this is an artificial image of the man I possessed. I figured it would be… easier for you. My last form didn't seem to _please_ you." A smile crept across his face as she shook from the memory. Dark, oily skin, and unblinking red eyes filled her mind as she fought to keep the images from resurfacing.

"But Father Naraku was—"

"Me. The entire time you knew _him_, it was actually me in this form," he said, waving his hand as if dismissing a servant. "Of course, at one time, there was a man who went by the name of Father Onigumo, but he ceased to be immediately after signing a contract with me." His features turned thoughtful once more. "Funny how a man will throw away his very soul for the illusion of immortality."

Sango glared at him, different emotions battling inside her. Hatred and rage filled her, but at the same time… _He was like a parent to me._ "What do you want?" she forced out, her voice firm.

"Ah right, you wish to break the contract."

She nodded. "Whatever you wish… I'll do it. I just want the contract to be voided in return."

He gave her a sorrowful stare. "You wish to toss me aside so quickly. It saddens me." She stayed silent, glaring at him. Taking a deep breath, the demon sighed heavily as he stared down at the floor.

"Hurry and tell me," she said, impatience growing. "Anything you want, name it."

His right eyebrow twitched. "Anything?" he repeated, his eyes slowly meeting hers. Suddenly, she felt as if she had just been duped into doing something she would regret. He chuckled. "All this for a single man… In that case, I do have something only you can do." His smile widened.

"Hurry and tell me."

"I desire a human vessel; a pure, untainted human vessel that I may use to escape the hell of my realm."

"I'm not going to let you possess me."

He roared in laughter that continued for several minutes. Finally, he managed to calm down enough to continue. "Sango my dear, you are far from pure." She glared in annoyance as he continued. "But your child will be."

Her jaw dropped. _It's not possible._ "I'm—"

"Pregnant? No my dear, not yet at least. It is but one step in a larger task."

Her features darkened. "I refuse."

Naraku spread his hands before him, giving her a what-can-I-do look. "You said anything, and that is what I desire. It is a fair deal. Give me a child and you shall have your freedom."

"A child you would enslave for all eternity? I don't think so. My freedom isn't worth that, nothing is."

"Enslave? Sango my dear, you have me all wrong." He feigned a wounded look. "_I_ would be the child, or at least, my essence would be. You see, possessing a human is terribly inefficient. I have to spend most of my power to channel my will between the realms. If I was _conceived_ in this realm however… there is a way for me to transfer a large portion of my power to your realm." He spread his arms out before him. "No actual child would be harmed in the process."

Mind racing, she tried to grasp what he was telling her. She was still trying to get over the issue of having a child. There were brief moments where she thought about her future with Miroku. It wasn't that she was against having kids, but rather her relationship with Miroku didn't quite allow for them, at least, not until recently. But having a kid wasn't quite the problem here. From what the demon was saying, it would be a hollow shell for the demon to inhabit in this realm. Did she really want to allow that to happen? _Could _she allow it to happen? Its reasons for crossing over were far from friendly. The chaos it would cause… _Not to mention that I would have to explain it to Miroku._ Her stomach turned at the thought. Things were rough now, but how would Miroku handle _this_ situation? _Not well,_ her inner voice answered. The thought of Miroku made her decision for her.

Looking up, she peered into the eyes of the illusion before her, firm resolution in her eyes. "I—"

His hand stopped her as he held it up before him. "Ah, I wouldn't answer quite yet. Perhaps you should take some time and think it over, ask questions, etcetera, etcetera."

She bit down on her lip. That was the last thing she wanted. This wasn't the time to think, it was the time to act. "I don't need to." One of his eyebrows rose in interest as he stared down at her. "I accept. In exchange, I want my freedom and for you to never harm or bother myself, my friends or my family."

A smile crept across his face. "Done."

Searing pain spread across her right hand, causing her to scream out in pain. Grabbing at her wrist, she watched as red moved across her palm and the back of her hand. The smell of burning flesh reached her nose as smoke rolled off of the spreading red. Black flesh was left behind as the red scorched her hand in a pattern. Tears running down her face, she gasped for breath as the pain suddenly left her, the red disappearing and the black ash trickling from her hand.

"Our agreement is complete. On completion, you shall gain your freedom." She could barely understand what he was saying as she still fought to catch her breath, still grasping her shaking hand. The memory of the pain still fresh in her mind, she stared at her hand as if afraid the pain would return. "I must leave you now. I'm afraid that my power is not what it used to be. There is much preparation that needs attending to."

Reaching up with her other hand, she tenderly touched the ash on her right hand. It fell away, revealing unburned skin beneath. She looked up. "What do I do now?" _The first thing I have to do is reconcile with Miroku. Then explain the situation…_ She wasn't looking forward to it. Possible conversations were already playing out in her mind. _"Hey Miroku. I'm sorry for everything, I think we both overreacted and I think we should give things a second chance. By the way, I need to get pregnant so a demon can break into our realm. We should probably get started now…"_ She mentally shook her head. Things weren't going to go well at all.

The image of Naraku gave her a curious look, as if it were able to see what she was thinking. "I cannot believe you still think of that man even now." He shook his head, clicking his tongue in disappointment.

"He is no concern of yours. Stay away from him," she spat venomously.

Naraku held up his hands and took a step back. "Relax. You are right, he _is_ no concern of mine. He is not the one who will father my new body."

Her heart seemed to skip a beat as she stared at the demon in shock. "What?!"

He gave an annoyed huff. "Don't act so appalled. You slept with another man to contact me, no? What is one more in my service?"

"I'm not having a stranger's child!"

"You have no choice." Her hand began to ache once more. It wasn't the searing pain it had been a moment ago, it was more a reminder that something was there. "The agreement has already been made."

"I didn't agree to this!"

"Next time, perhaps you should make it completely clear _what_ you are agreeing to. You stated your terms quite clearly. You never asked for mine." The edges of his mouth tugged upwards in a microscopic smile. "You haven't changed a bit my dear. Always so impulsive… constantly rushing forward with no regards to your surroundings."

Her heart pounded against her chest as realization hit her. She had been tricked. Myoga had warned her something like this might occur and she fell for it anyway. _I'm so stupid! How could I let this happen?_ Despair weighed heavily upon her as she stared down at the floor. "What else have I agreed to?" she choked out.

"In due time Child… In due time…" His laughter lingered in her mind long after his image faded. Tears trickled down her face to splatter against the carpet. She had wanted nothing more than to restore her broken life. Now, she felt like she had just ruined what little remained.

_What have I done?_

*******************

Kagome left before Inuyasha woke. It pained her to sneak out but she knew it would be easier in the long run. Even though he had accepted that she had to go, he still would have done his best to stop her.

_Everything happened just as Myoga predicted._ Inuyasha had been angry, but that anger had quickly been replaced by worry and fear. Even though she could sense his emotions, there was really no need. It had been clearly written on his face. Looking down at her hand, she flexed her fingers, opening and closing them in rapid succession. Their lovemaking had replenished her energy, energy she feared she would have to use. Her mind wandered back to the night before. His inhibition had been temporarily forgotten. It was an experience she would not forget anytime soon. Still upset from the charm incident, his movements had been both passionate and forceful. Yet despite all his anger, he had held her tightly, as if she would slip away if he loosened his grip in the slightest. It made for both a wondrous and terribly saddening experience. The that fact both were quite vocal when Yumi was in the house made Kagome realize just how worried Inuyasha was. It also made her realize that even she might be underestimating how much Yumi knew. Her daughter had always been an extremely light sleeper. There was no possible that way they hadn't been heard. Yet despite this, Yumi never came to investigate what the noise was.

A chill ran over Kagome, causing her to wrap her arms tighter across her chest. It was getting colder. True, the sun wasn't out yet, but autumn was creeping up. Taking a deep breath, she released it slowly, a faint misty cloud appeared before her face. She thought back to Yumi. _I really should have kissed her goodbye._ At the same time, she knew why she hadn't done it. It would have certainly awoken the girl and there would be a million and one questions about where she was going. She silently apologized to Inuyasha, who would undoubtedly have to deal with the questions when he got up.Worry gripped lightly at her stomach, making her shift her weight uncomfortably. _I really hope she doesn't ask any questions about last night._ She imagined Inuyasha's flustered expression as he tried to explain why her mother had been yelling. The image caused her to chuckle lightly. It was true that Yumi was intelligent and could read certain situations like someone decades older, but sometimes, her curiosity got the better of her.

Footsteps brought her attention back to the present. Body tense with anticipation, she looked towards the noise. From around the corner, a woman appeared, causing Kagome to relax. "You had me a little worried there."

Kikyo smiled. "Sorry, but if you're this jumpy right now, wait until we _really_ stir up trouble."

Kagome sighed. "I know. I'm not cut out for this sort of thing."

"Nonsense," her sister said, waving the comment away. "You're far better than you give yourself credit for." Her head tilted to the side as she eyed Kagome curiously.

"What?" Kagome asked, suddenly self-conscious at the other woman's stare.

Kikyo shook her head. "It's nothing. I was just admiring your energy flow. God how I wish I was in your position."

Kagome only smiled. She knew Kikyo wanted Inuyasha, hell, _all_ succubi wanted her husband. She felt a little guilty keeping something so wonderful and rare all for herself, but at the same time, he had made it clear that she was the only one he wanted. The fact that he could have countless beautiful women and he decided to be with only her… it was the greatest feeling in the world. "Sorry, but even if I was willing to share, I don't think he would be."

She looked disappointed. "I figured. I knew I should have made a move back when he was with Anna and Eiko." Kagome gave her a disapproving look. "What? It's not like you two were together back then. You were off having fun of your own."

"It wasn't fun," Kagome said, brushing past her sister and moving off towards the street. "Everyone has to eat."

They walked in silence for nearly a minute before Kikyo sped up slightly to walk beside her. When she opened her mouth to speak, Kagome shot her a warning glare. "Relax, I wasn't going to talk about that anymore," she said, holding her hands out in front of her. "I was just wondering how much mother told you."

"Only that three more are dead." Kagome let out a weary sigh. "It's happening too fast for it to be random. Someone is definitely targeting us." She glanced over at Kikyo as they walked. "Have any other types of demons been killed?"

Kikyo shook her head. "No. Someone is definitely targeting just succubi."

Frowning, Kagome waited until they passed a man walking his dog before continuing. "That doesn't sound like something the Order would do."

"You're telling me. Even when most demons were in hiding, they were fairly nondiscriminatory in their attacks. They were aiming for us and managed to get a couple every once in awhile, but they found a lot more other demons in-between."

Kagome nodded. "The more I think about things, the less likely Order involvement seems to be. This has to be a new party." Glancing over at the other woman, her eyes narrowed. She knew the expression and body language. There was something she wasn't telling her. "There's something else, isn't there?"

"I--can't. I promised Mom."

"Kikyo, if there's something you're not telling me… I need to know everything if I'm going to help."

"I know but—"

"No 'buts,' I _need_ to know everything!" Reaching out, she grabbed Kikyo by the arm, stopping her. "The sooner you tell me, the better."

Rubbing the back of her neck, Kikyo looked away. "We found… marks."

Her eyebrows rose in interest. "Marks?"

"Right, on their necks," she continued, rubbing the spot on her own body. Kagome paled. Seeing her sister's distress, Kikyo hurried on. "But they weren't bite marks, only bruising."

"That doesn't matter." Kagome cursed, a lot. Kikyo stared in surprise as her sister rattled off several lines worth of words, repeating several in different languages.

"Feel better?" Kikyo asked after Kagome had finally stopped to catch her breath.

"No," she answered bluntly. "You realize what this means, right?"

"We don't know for sure."

"Marks on the neck? Succubi seemingly poisoned? It _has_ to be a vampire, or at least, someone with vampire ancestors."

"Mother and I figured as much."

"Then why am I only finding out about this _now_?"

"We didn't want to worry you. Besides, you feed solely from Inuyasha…"

Kagome shifted uncomfortably. "If he has vampire traits, even I—" She stopped, not wanting to continue. _Even I will find him irresistible._ While she had never actually seen a vampire, she, like all succubi, knew what they were capable of. To humans, they were harmless unless they decided to go out of their way to kill one. A succubus on the other hand… If there was been a food pyramid, the vampires would be on the top, succubi in the middle, and humans on the bottom. Succubi got their energy from humans, vampires from succubi. Unlike succubi, who didn't necessarily kill their food, a feeding vampire always killed its succubus victim. Even when succubi had been more numerous, vampires were extremely rare and nearly impossible to kill. Nearly. While vampires could easily deal with attacks from succubi, fighting against a number of humans _and_ succubi proved to be too much and all the vampires were killed. But just because the true vampires were dead didn't mean they were completely extinct. Hiding inside the genetic material of select human offspring lurked the remnants of the vampire lineage. A few unsuspecting succubi were unfortunate enough to stumble upon some, but as the vampiric genetic material was mixed with more and more humans, the chances of vampire traits occurring lessened. In today's world, the chances were astronomical. _Meaning whoever is doing this knows exactly what they are doing and who they are going after._ But what was their purpose? Succubi could be killed, just like a human could. It was far easier to shoot or stab them. Why would they take the time to poison them?

"You okay?" Kikyo asked, giving her a look of concern.

"Huh? Yeah, sorry, just got caught up in my own thoughts," Kagome said. _Whatever their goals, we need to stop them, and fast._ The thought of Yumi running around while a killer targeted succubi terrified her.

They continued in silence the rest of the way, meeting up with the other succubi. Kagome and Kikyo arrived to meet four others. Their mother stood with her arms crossed. Beside her were Anna and Eiko. It had been awhile since she last saw them. Anna had red hair now, her regular ponytail replaced by shoulder-length hair. Eiko was still the tiny oriental woman she remembered. Absolutely nothing had changed about her. The fourth was Maya. Unlike the others, Maya was distinctly Indian. Her skin was several shades darker than even Eiko's. Her jet black hair was pulled back in a long ponytail. Even with the extra layers of clothing, Kagome could tell that there was an amazing body underneath. _That's a given. All of us are amazing._ She had no illusions about how they looked. Each and every one of them, including herself, were drop dead gorgeous in their own unique ways. _And Inuyasha still picks me._ The thought sent a warm feeling throughout her body.

"It's been awhile," Eiko said, quickly closing the space between them to wrap her in a tight hug. Kagome returned it happily, feeling the petite woman press against her. Besides Kagome, she was the smallest woman here.

"It has."

"Is Inuyasha still doing well?"

Kagome felt a pang of jealousy, but quickly buried it. There was no reason for her to be, not anymore. Sure, she had been with Inuyasha, but that had been a long time ago. "He's well."

The woman nodded, smiling happily as she stepped aside to let Anna take her place. In her typical brazen manner, Anna marked their reunion with a kiss. It was no quick peck to the cheek either. Wrapping her arms around Kagome, she pushed her tongue deep into her mouth, running it along her own. Had it been anyone else, Kagome would have been shocked at the sudden, passionate kiss. Instead, she went along. After a few seconds, Anna broke the kiss, releasing her and taking a few steps back. Taking a deep breath, Kagome steadied herself.

"Wow," Kagome whispered, slightly winded. "I don't want to say I didn't expect it but…" She let her voice trail off. Anna was one of the few succubi who fed off women as well as men. It took far more effort than it was worth, but was still doable.

Anna grinned. "You know you liked it." She glanced over towards the unhappy looking Eiko, resting her arm atop her shoulder. "Relax, it was only a kiss. Besides, I doubt Kagome would drop Inuyasha, even for someone as great as me." That got eye-rolls from everyone.

"Maya," Kagome said, nodding towards the other woman.

She bowed deeply in return. "Mother," she said, using Kagome's title rather than name. It bugged her, but she let it go. Maya was like that.

"Have you told her the plan?" Kagome's mother said, eyeing Kikyo.

"Err, no, not yet."

Frowning, she looked between the two. "What were you discussing all the way here then?" She shook her head. "Forget it, I think I can figure it out." Her eyes locked with Kagome's. "She told you about the marks I suppose."

"I can't believe you didn't tell me earlier," Kagome huffed.

Her mother held up her hand, stopping her from continuing. "You know now, that is all that matters." Looking away from Kagome, her gaze covered the entire group. "As you all know, we are most likely facing a man who has vampire-traits. What's worse: he's using his abilities to target us. We've already lost far too many sisters to this man and while we are here to find him, we need to be cautious." She continued to look around, making sure everyone was listening. "However, I find it hard to believe this is the work of a lone man. It is far too coordinated and quick. Don't be surprised if this man has backup."

"What exactly is it are we doing?" Kagome asked. She had a creeping feeling she wasn't going to like it.

Her mother's eyes focused on her. "We are going to hunt him down. Once we capture him, we can question him and find out what his goals are and who he's working with."

"The city is huge! How can we expect to find him?" Anna asked, crossing her arms.

"And why just us?" Eiko tossed in quickly. "There are a lot more succubi in the city than us six."

"After looking at his previous targets, I think I've narrowed down a few locations where he might be next. We will split up into groups of two so if we do find him, we have someone to call for help and protect the other." She looked towards Eiko. "As for why I picked just us, we are the most powerful. If one of us does fall victim, the poison won't kill us outright."

"Just painfully over the course of several hours," Kikyo quipped.

Their mother's eyes flashed in anger. "But we have a chance to dispel the poison before succumbing to it. There is also the problem with scaring him into hiding. The most important information we need from him is who he's working for and what they want. The sooner we get this, the better our chances of preparing ourselves." As she looked around, heads nodded in agreement. "Good. Kikyo will go with Kagome, Anna with Eiko and Maya and I will be a group."

"What exactly are we looking for?" Kikyo asked, resting a hand on her hip.

To Kagome's dismay, her mother shook her head. "I don't know. It could be anyone. The best way is to keep away from each other but watch the other closely. Most likely he will approach you."

"I get approached all the time. How will I know it's not some random person trying to pick me up?" Anna said.

"His influence should work like a charm spell. It will be nearly impossible to detect if you are being influenced by it, which is why you should all keep a close eye on one another. If your partner seems _too_ attached to someone, chances are that it will be him."

Eiko gave a gloomy sigh. "Anna's like that with _everyone_." The other woman stuck out her tongue, but didn't say anything.

Kagome's mother wasn't amused. "If you do find him, call for help and do everything you can to keep him from leaving. Under no circumstances are you to approach him. The last thing we need is both members getting charmed. Any questions so far?" More head shakes. "Okay, then I'll discuss today's locations…"

*******************

Dante drummed his fingers against the table. Before him was a large plate filled with pancakes, eggs and bacon, a cup of steaming coffee above it. The American-themed diner was empty besides him, another customer and the two employees, but that wasn't unexpected with it being so early in the morning. His stomach growled in protest as the delicious smell of hot food wafted up to his nose. Sighing, he grudgingly began shoveling food into his mouth. He knew the dark rings under his eyes gave away his exhaustion. Aches across his body reminded him that his body didn't appreciate the lack of sleep he was getting. It wasn't so much the lack of sleep, but the work he did between naps. Bedding a woman took work. Bedding a demon… well, that was the type of work that seemed to suck the very life from him. It wasn't the fun sort of work either. Getting them into bed was turning out far easier than he could have imagined possible. He wished it was always this easy. A few words and they were more than willing to follow him anywhere. While easy, it wasn't quick. Try as he could, meeting the deadline his clients gave was looking more and more impossible. Even now, he was searching for his next target.

_But why am I here?_ The food was okay, but nothing exceptional. The entire place just screamed average. It was just an everyday family restaurant. All the women before, he had picked up at places with class. Expensive restaurants, high-class bars, fancy hotels. Why not? They were exceptionally beautiful. Even if they didn't have money, they would be allowed in simply for their looks, list or no list. It had grown into an expectation for him. It was obvious that the demons preyed off of the elite of society. If he was in their shoes, he would as well. Would he really find one here? His information said he would, but seriously? They needed sex to survive. Who in their right mind would try to pick up someone here? And why did he have to be here so damn early in the morning?

But for whatever reason, he was sent here. His mystery client had actually called him, telling him that he _needed_ to be here. _The bastard doesn't have any consideration. Does he know how late I was up last night? _He mulled the thought around his head as he chewed on a mouthful of pancakes. _Probably._ He took a sip of the steaming coffee. It was his second cup. The first had yet to kick in. Poking at his pancakes, his attention was suddenly dragged towards the entrance of the restaurant as he watched two women enter. Immediately, his heart began racing and he focused his attention back down at his food. Both women were gorgeous, _too_ gorgeous. He was beginning to learn to tell the difference between a beautiful human and an average demon. While one was shorter and had a more subtle body, both looked remarkably similar. _Related?_ His mind quickly buried the thought. There were more important things to worry about than their relationship to each other. _Where have I seen them before?_ Casually pulling his phone from his pocket, he typed in the password, unlocking it. Scanning through the files, he eventually pulled up the list his client sent him. Pretending he was clicking away at a text message, he went through the list. _There! I knew I had seen them before!_ Eyes flicking over the small screen, he absorbed all the information the list had on them.

_So the smaller one is Kagome Tanaka and the taller one is Kikyo Higurashi. Interesting… _He started with Kagome's. The first several lines caused him to frown. _Married? They get married?_ From what he had read of the list, none were married. He knew what it was like having sex with them. He shook his head slightly. _Poor bastard._ Sure, they were beautiful to look at, but exhausting in bed. He continued on. _Priority number one, extremely dangerous._ He scratched his head, cautiously casting glances at the women. The waitress had sat them near the entrance, meaning if he was going to escape, he would have to go right by them. _If there was only one…_ He shifted uncomfortably. The time he needed a gun most was when he didn't have it. _Not that I could have used it anyways._ He finished reading up on her before switching to Kikyo. Minus the marriage, it was pretty similar. He learned that his hunch was correct and they were indeed sisters. The last thing he did was check her priority number. As expected, she was right below her sister at number two. _Great… so I have both one and two sitting three tables away and I have no weapons to defend myself._ For a brief moment, he wondered if his client was trying to test him. _Toss me in among the lions to see if I can crawl my way get out…_

He began punching the keys, actually typing a message this time. _Come get me ASAP._ Selecting Erik, he pressed send. Stuffing the last few bites into his mouth, he finished off half his coffee before grabbing the check and heading towards the register. He felt the gaze of the two women on him as he waited for the waitress to come around to help him. Handing her the check and money, he turned around as he waited for the change. Both women were staring at him. Forcing himself to remain calm, he gave them a wide grin, and winked. With a roll of eyes, they looked away. He caught himself before he could let out a sigh of relief. Taking the change, he casually strolled from the restaurant. Outside, Erik waited in a silver BMW. Did it stand out? Yes, but it was better than a limo.

Not waiting for Erik, he quickly slid inside the back, slamming the door. Confused, Erik climbed back into the driver's seat. "Go," Dante ordered, glancing back at the diner. He could see the women through the window. Only after the car was moving did he let out a big breath, letting the tension roll from his body.

"Everything okay?" Erik asked from the front.

"God, I hope so," he muttered, resting his head against the window with a thump. _Regardless of the reasons why they sent me there, I get the message. The demons are looking for me._

*******************

Kagome shifted uncomfortably in her seat, her eyes constantly gravitating towards the man a few tables away as he played with his phone.

"Something wrong?" Kikyo asked, stopping to thank the waitress as she delivered their drinks.

She shook her head. "No, not quite." There was something about the man, something she couldn't shake. From what she could see, there was nothing special about him. He was completely normal, yet at the same time, maybe _too_ normal. There was nothing, _nothing_ that stood out. It was weird. Every human stood out in some way.

"Well you've been looking at that guy behind me the whole time we've been in here."

"I can't help it," Kagome said, reddening as she forced herself to look away.

Kikyo looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "Finally taking an interest in other men, eh?"

Kagome gave her a dark look. "It's not like that."

Her sister chuckled. "You should have some variety. Don't you ever get tired of eating the same thing?"

"No," she answered immediately. It was mostly the truth. Even with Inuyasha's rare red energy, there were times where she was less than enthusiastic about feeding. "And I never will." She hoped the finality in her tone would stop Kikyo from trying to convince her otherwise.

"For now." She continued seeing Kagome's blank expression. "You do remember he's human, right?"

"Of course," she said automatically.

"That means he's going to get old."

She shifted uncomfortably in her seat. It wasn't that she forgot, more like she just didn't think about it. "I know, but he is half-demon. So maybe…" She knew it was a stretch, but she had to hope.

Kikyo gave her a sad smile, a look of pity in her face. "He is getting older. It isn't too obvious, so maybe you haven't noticed."

Kagome looked down at the table. She _had_ noticed. Like Kikyo said, it wasn't obvious, but there were small hints that showed he was aging. She on the other hand… "I know."

Kikyo seemed to get the idea that it was an uncomfortable subject, so she tried to brighten the mood. "But you have twenty or thirty years before you have to really worry about it."

_Twenty or thirty… How long will I live? Nine hundred? A thousand?_ Considering no succubus had ever died of old age, it was anyone's guess. Movement caught her attention. Looking past Kikyo, she watched the strange man stand up and move towards the register. Kikyo followed her gaze.

"You think something's odd with him?" Kikyo asked softly. Now that the man wasn't behind her, she could look without drawing attention.

Anxiety gripped her stomach as she continued to stare at the man. _Is he the one we're looking for?_ If he was, both her and Kikyo were in serious trouble. Both were close enough that if he tried charming one, he would get the other. But he was fairly close and she didn't have the sudden urge to ravage him. She mulled over the thought about temporarily separating with Kikyo by heading towards the restroom or something, but her thought process was interrupted when he turned around. Grinning stupidly, he gave them a wink. Kagome rolled her eyes and looked away. _What am I thinking? It couldn't possibly be him._ Now she was worried he would come over and start talking to them because they had been looking. He started towards their table. She stared down at the table. _We're not interested in you. We're not interested in you. We're not…_ she continued to chant, hoping her mental projections would be picked up by the man. It must have worked, because he continued past them out the door.

"What a weird guy," Kikyo said in a low whisper after the man had left. She took a second to think. "I'd do him."

Kagome rolled her eyes, shaking her head. She glanced down at her watch. It was still way too early to start their stakeout. Picking up the menu, she scanned it over. "We came in here to kill some time. I'm going to order something."

Kikyo picked up her menu. "Might as well."

Kagome thought about the odd man for several more minutes before the waitress came to take their orders. By the time their food arrived, the man was long forgotten.

*******************

Inuyasha awoke with a start. Looking around, he quickly found himself alone in the room. Frowning, he moved his arm to feel the other side of the bed and found it cold. He took a few deep breaths, trying to push the upsetting thoughts from his mind. _She could have at least said goodbye._ He left it at that. Getting to his feet, he looked down at the bedding as he stretched. Frowning, he scratched the back of his neck. Now that Kagome wasn't here, he was going to discover all the little things she did that he had taken for granted. Magically cleaning the bed after a nights worth of activities was the first. Leaving the covers as they were, he headed towards the bathroom to take a shower. The hot water felt good as he wiped the sweat from his body and warmed up his skin. He tried to force himself to think about things other than Kagome, but not matter how hard he tried, he found that his thoughts always gravitated back to her.

_I wonder what she's doing now._ Countless thoughts ran through his mind, most of them bad. _What I would give to protect her._ It was supposed to be his job to protect the family, not hers. His stomach rumbled, bringing attention to his hunger. Sighing, he shut the water off and dried himself off. Once dressed, he headed towards the kitchen.

He was surprised to find Yumi sitting there, a bowl in front of her as she chewed nosily. The chewing slowed as she looked over at him. Her expression looked like a kid who just got caught stealing. Smiling, he shuffled into the kitchen. "Morning," he said, grabbing a bowl himself.

"Morning," she said softly.

Grabbing the box, he eyed it curiously before tipping the contents into his bowl. "I didn't know we had cereal." It had been a long time since he had it. Pouring some milk in the bowl, he sat down and started eating. He glanced over to Yumi, who mournfully looked down at her cereal, moving it around with her spoon. "What's wrong?" The fact that she was acting depressed made him worry. It took a lot to get her down.

"Mommy isn't here," she mumbled sorrowfully. "Mommy had a fight with Daddy and now she left, just like Auntie Sango." She sniffed, rubbing her eyes as she fought tears.

"W-what? Yumi, we didn't fight! Mommy is going to be back later tonight!" He rested his hand atop her head, ruffling her hair slightly. "Where did you get the idea that we were fighting?"

She didn't sound convinced. "I heard you two last night… Mommy was yelling."

His face flushed. _Right, last night we…_ Quickly, he pushed the images of last night aside as something started to stir happily in his pants. "Uh… Well, that was… Not a fight," he finished lamely.

Her eyes narrowed. "You're lying! You started it."

"Eh?"

"You always pick on Mommy!" She sighed softly, shaking her head slowly. "Poor Mommy. I understand why she left."

"'Poor Mommy?' Wha—" He shook his head, trying to understand what was happening. _This isn't how a child is supposed to act! _Everything from her tone to her body language, she seemed more like an adult than a child. He furrowed his eyebrows angrily. "She didn't leave and we weren't fighting!"

"Then why was Mommy yelling?"

He opened his mouth to answer, only to close it as he struggled to find something to say. "She was… happy," he explained awkwardly.

"Ah!" she said suddenly, surprising him. "You were playing that game again!" she said, pointing a finger accusingly at him.

"Game?"

She nodded, puffing her chest out proudly, as if she had answered a question no one else knew. "Mommy told me all about it!"

"She did?" His voice cracked. _When was this?!_ There was a part of him that was glad Kagome had already explained things, but the majority was uncomfortable with the idea that his daughter knew what they were doing at night.

Yumi nodded again. "Yep! She told me I had to wait until I was older to play though," she added sadly, her lower lip out slightly in a pout.

He laughed nervously. "Much, much older," he said.

Her eyes narrowed once more as she stared at him. "Are you sure she's coming back?"

"I'm sure."

This time, the answer seemed to satisfy the girl, her attention turned back to her cereal. He let out a deep breath. He had just got up and he was already exhausted. _Is this how the entire day is going to go?_ He shook his head in awe. _How does Kagome do it?_

*******************

**Many thanks to Jay for editing and everyone who left a review. I hope you enjoyed the chapter.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any characters associated with it. This story is rated for a mature audience.**

**Citrus Warning (For entire story) **

*******************

Dante awoke with a start. Blinking in confusion, he glanced at his surroundings, taking everything in. He was in a car. Erik's massive frame was blocking the view in front of him. He hadn't realized he fell asleep but, from the light outside, he had been so for quite awhile.

His cell chirped again. Leaping in his seat, he quickly dug into his pocket to fight the phone out. After a few more rings, he finally pulled it out and accepted the call. "Dante," he answered.

"Did you sleep well?" a man's voice asked. Dante recognized it immediately as his client. The remaining grogginess vanished.

"What the hell was up with this morning's stunt? Are you _trying_ to get me killed?"

"Killed? Heaven's no! Why would we try to kill you?"

"I don't know! That's why I'm asking you!"

"I think you misunderstand our intentions."

"You think? I've done everything you've asked me to do and what do you do? You pull something like this morning!"

"Did they do anything?"

"Well, no. But they were staring. Now there is no way I can just approach them."

"You flatter yourself. There is little chance they will remember a passing stranger at a diner. However, this morning's experiment wasn't without its rewards." _So now I'm nothing more than a guinea pig to you?_ "Those two were the most powerful of the demons, and even they failed to detect you."

"That was a risky move. What would have happened if they had?"

The man sounded amused. "I'm confident you could have handled yourself." He continued before Dante could say anything. "But this also means that it's time to stop messing around and get to business."

"I'm listening."

"My colleagues and I are growing impatient. Yes, I understand you are providing results, and we thank you for it. However, we gave you a list with priority targets for a reason; and time is running short."

Dante didn't need the man to explain what he meant. "You want me to go after one of the big ones."

"Not just any high priority. We want either the first or second one."

"The ones I saw at the diner?" He had to be honest; he had been debating to go after one of them all morning. They had both been stunning, even if they weren't really his type. Now that he had orders to… _So that's why they sent me there._ He quelled the rage that boiled inside him. _There were better ways…_ He didn't like being treated like a lab experiment.

"Correct."

"This isn't going to be easy. Both are sure to be on their guard. Not to mention they are going to be looking for me."

"Are you saying it's not possible?"

"I never said that," he answered quickly. "Only that it won't be easy."

"We have confidence in you Mr. Rizzo."

He licked his lips anxiously. "They are probably going to search for me in a specific area… can you find it for me?"

"Of course. I'll let you know when we have it."

"Thank you." He quickly shut his phone, dropping it on the seat beside him.

"Where to?" Erik said from the front.

"The hotel," he said, looking down at his rumpled clothes. _If they are looking for me, it's going to be somewhere fancy._ "I need to get ready."

*******************

Inuyasha leaned back in his chair. Rubbing his eyes, he looked away from laptop screen. There wasn't much he could do from home other than look over the changes Miroku had already made and test it to make sure everything was working. Still, it was something Miroku didn't have to do. It was amazing how much work his friend had accomplished. _Even with the whole relationship issue._ Or maybe it was _because_ he was having trouble with Sango that he was working so hard. If so, Inuyasha was going to have to keep a close eye on him. The last thing he wanted was Miroku collapsing from overworking.

Leaning back precariously on his chair, he glanced through the kitchen opening into the living room. Yumi sat at the couch, humming in tune to the TV as she colored something in a book. He frowned, looking from the laptop back to his daughter. Setting the front chair legs back on the floor, he stood up, closing the laptop. "Hey, how about we go on a walk?"

Looking up at him, her eyes went wide. "Really?"

Smiling, he nodded. "Really." Leaping to her feet, she was at the door before he knew it. "Hey, don't forget your coat. It's windy outside."

Taking the time to double-check that he had everything, he followed Yumi out the door, locking it behind them. He barely had time to turn around before a gust of wind hit him. Realizing Yumi wasn't behind him, he spun around. His shoulders relaxed when he spotted her near the stairs. "Yumi, don't run off like that," he said, catching up.

Ignoring him, she grabbed his hand, tugging it impatiently. "This way! This way!"

Sighing, he let the young girl pull him in the direction she wanted to go. They walked for nearly an hour, pausing every so often for her to look in a store window. After an hour, they stopped at a park, mostly so he could rest and she could burn off more energy. It was pathetic how tired he was. Collapsing back on the park bench, he was nearly gasping for breath. By the sounds of it, he might as well have run a marathon. _Good God, am I _that_ out of shape?_ Before today, he had thought he had been in pretty good shape. Obviously, he was wrong. _Here everyone told me that half-demon side of me would give me strength and stamina. Ha!_ It was almost enough for him to burst out in laughter. Forty-five minutes and they were off again, this time to get something to eat.

"I want Ramen," Yumi declared suddenly after leaving the park.

Inuyasha smiled proudly at his daughter. "That's my girl." It had been awhile since he last had a bowl of Ramen. Nothing sounded better than eating some with his daughter.

It was a bit of a walk, but he took them to his favorite Ramen shop. It was small, but he liked the people who ran it. Stepping inside, he was surprised to find the place empty.

"Ah! Welcome back!" the owner said, bowing slightly as they entered.

"Good evening," he said, nodding his head.

Yumi rushed ahead, hopping on one of the stools. "I want a BIG one!" she commanded, holding her arms wide. Behind her, Inuyasha did the opposite.

The owner gave Yumi a big smile, showing a few missing teeth in the process. "You got it!" He looked up at Inuyasha. "The usual I expect?"

"You got it."

"Want something to drink with it?"

Inuyasha knew he meant alcohol. Under normal circumstances, he would have said yes. Unfortunately, these weren't normal circumstances. With Kagome doing who-knows-what, the last thing he wanted was alcohol in him, even if it was a little.

"No thanks," he said, politely shaking his head. Taking a seat beside Yumi, he glanced around as the owner got to work. "It's a little slow tonight."

"Nah, I have a private party coming in."

Inuyasha frowned. "Is it okay we're here?"

"Of course! They won't be here until later. I have most of the preparation done anyways."

As they waited for the food, Yumi got out of her seat and wandered over to the large fish tank in the back of the restaurant. Tilting her head to the side, she watched the fish, mesmerized. Several minutes later, the owner set two bowls of hot, steaming, Ramen before them. She quickly ran back to her seat.

"There you are."

"Thank you!" Yumi said, smiling as she grabbed her chopsticks.

Inuyasha watched her slurp up a mouthful and then lightly fan her mouth. "Like it?" he asked with a grin. Smiling, she nodded enthusiastically. He looked up at the owner. "Thanks."

"No problem. Enjoy." Wiping his hands, he went about cleaning the cooking area.

They ate in silence, both too engrossed in their food for conversation. Yumi finished first, patting her stomach happily. She looked up at him. "When's Mommy going to be home?"

_I wish I knew_. He swallowed the noodles in his mouth. "Late."

She didn't like that. "I want to stay up."

"I don't think that's such a good idea." He knew what happened last time they let her stay up. It took them a week to get her sleep schedule back on track. Tears forming, she stared into his eyes, lips quivering. It was an absolute heart-wrenching sight. Sighing, he quickly surrendered. "Fine, but don't blame me if she gets mad when she sees you still up."

"Okay!" In an instant, the tears were gone, all trace of sadness with it. He looked away. If she was this good at manipulating the hearts of men… _I pity the man who falls for her. _His brain automatically corrected him. _I pity the _men_ who fall for her._ It was difficult, but he was slowly forcing himself to accept that reality. He had to do it quickly too. There was only a week to go before Yumi's ritual. He was tempted to ask if they could delay it, but understood its importance enough not to. It wasn't just Yumi's transition into adulthood, but it was also a way to remove the curse that Kagome's people carried. That was the hope at least. He might have been a little selfish, but he wasn't _that_ selfish. He knew that some things had to be done for the greater good.

Finished with dinner, he pulled out his wallet, counting the bills He frowned when he came up short. Pulling out his card, he handed it to the owner. After a few seconds, the owner turned around with an embarrassed expression. "I'm sorry, the card has been denied."

_That_ got his attention. "Denied? That's not possible. Can you try it again?"

"I ran it three times," the man said, smiling apologetically.

Taking the card, Inuyasha looked at it curiously. It was impossible for the card to be denied. Even though he constantly refused money from Kagome's mother, she still deposited a large chunk of money every couple months. Not to mention he got money from the company he ran with Miroku and Sango. There was no way the account was empty. He shook his head, smiling sheepishly. "Here, let me try another card—"

"Don't bother," a voice said beside him, causing him to jump. Looking over, he found a man standing over his shoulder. He looked odd, even for a foreigner. He wore an expensive looking suit, custom made to fit his hefty frame, with a large black hat. A pair of round glasses sat atop his large nose. He held out a large hand with several bills in it. "I'll pay."

"No, I can—"

He smiled down at him, showing perfectly straight and white teeth. "No, no, allow me Mr. Tanaka."

Inuyasha was instantly on alert. He had never seen this man before and yet he spoke as if he knew him. He glanced over at Yumi before making eye contact with the man. "I'm sorry, do I know you?"

"Ah, right, I'm terribly sorry. My name is Edward Small. Yes, I know my name is quite the contradiction." He extended his hand towards Inuyasha. He was correct. There was _nothing_ small about him. Cautiously, Inuyasha took it. "I must say, it is an honor to meet you."

"I'm sorry, but I have a private party coming in tonight—" The owner said, offering the man his change.

He waved the offered change away. "Yes, we are a little early I'm afraid. The reservation is under Rockwell." He set his hat on the counter in front of him, revealing flat, gelled black hair.

Peering around Edward, Inuyasha found several other men standing with their hands clasped in front of them. There was a definite Yakuza feel to the situation. The owner obviously picked up on it as well, for he immediately snapped into an overly polite greeting, bowing several times. He gave Inuyasha a look as he backed away. _'What did you do and why did you bring it to _my_ shop?'_ As soon as he was able, the owner disappeared into the back.

Edward smiled down at Inuyasha. "May I sit?" he asked, gesturing to the open seat.

"We were actually just leaving," Inuyasha said, standing. "Come on Yumi."

"I know what this may look like, but we aren't here for trouble," Edward said, not making any effort to stop him as he pulled Yumi towards the door. "However, I'm afraid I can't say the same about your wife." Inuyasha froze in mid-step, Yumi nearly crashing into him. Slowly, he turned to face the grinning man. With a massive hand, he gestured towards the empty seat beside him. "Please, sit." When Inuyasha still didn't move, he continued, holding his hands up. "I only intend to talk. You have my word."

Crouching down, he smiled at Yumi. "Why don't you go watch the fish? Daddy has to talk for a bit." Giving a dark look towards the man, she didn't say anything as she shuffled off towards the fish tank. _It's not the best place, but if things turn for the worst…_ His thought ground to a halt. _Then what? If things turn bad, there is absolutely nothing I can do about it._ If there were one or two, he might have had a chance, but six? _If Kagome was here…_ The thought made him feel even worse about things. Was he really so weak he needed his wife to protect him? Even if she was a powerful demon, it still embarrassed him.

Slowly, he took a seat next to the man. "What do you want?"

He spread his hands before him. "As I said, I only wish to talk."

"Then start talking."

"Such hostility! Have I justified such a response?"

"I don't like being threatened."

He shook his head. "I apologize if it came off like that. I really had no intention of threatening you yet."

_Yet._ Inuyasha wondered if Edward had let it slip, or if he said it on purpose. After a few seconds, he figured it was on purpose. "You still haven't answered my question. What do you want?"

"I represent a certain group of people who have a great interest in you and your family."

"This group have a name?"

"They are simply known as The Five."

"That's a pretty dumb name. Let me guess: there are five of them?"

Edward raised an eyebrow. "An astute observation, as expected from one such as yourself."

"And? What do these 'Five' want?"

He gave a disarming smile, or at least, as disarming as a man with multiple chins could give. "Your cooperation."

"Mine?" The man nodded. "What do you need me for?" He could understand using him to get Kagome to do something, or even some other succubus. But _him?_ It just didn't make sense.

"The timing is not quite right for that information. However, you have my assurance it is nothing harmful to you or your family."

"What happens if I refuse?"

The man's expression darkened. In fact, the entire room seemed to darken, or was that just a trick of the light? Either way, there were few things in life that truly terrified him. This was one of them. All at once, the light returned to normal levels and the dark expression was replaced by a smile. "I'm sure your wife told you about the deaths of certain friends."

His eyes widened. "_You're_ responsible?"

"Me? Heaven's no! I'm just a representative." The smiled disappeared. "I will recommend you cooperate. My clients are not the sort of people you wish to cross."

"Well you can tell these 'clients' of yours that their threats are meaningless. I'm not afraid of them. The Order of the Silver Cross tried to kill me and my friends, look how they ended up." Granted, they came _very_ close to killing him. If it wasn't for Kagome, he wouldn't be among the living. But he didn't need to mention that.

Edward chuckled softly. "Mr. Tanaka, I don't think you fully understand _who_ you are about to make enemies with. There were people even the Order was afraid of."

"If you're going to try and scare me, at least make it believable."

With a heavy sigh, Edward pushed his glasses farther up his nose. He picked his hat up from the counter and rested it atop his head. "They that expected something like this might happen. A demonstration is in order." Instantly, Inuyasha was ready to fight, glancing over to the other men. All were still frozen in place. "Relax, I told you I was here to talk, and talk I have. You and your daughter are free to go." As if on cue, two of the bodyguards stepped aside, allowing them to exit. "I do suggest you keep our conversation a secret however. Tell _no one_ if you value their life. You will soon know how serious my clients are."

"Come on Yumi," Inuyasha called, getting up. She was at his side in an instant.

"I must inform you, my clients _always_ get what they want," Edward called out as they headed towards the exit. "Goodbye Mr. Tanaka. I'll be in touch!"

Once outside, he moved as quickly as Yumi could keep up. Only when the building was several blocks away did he stop to catch his breath. Fear clutched his gut as he quickly pulled his cell phone from his pocket, hitting the speed-dial for Kagome's cell._ Come on Kagome… pick up!_ After one ring, it connected. "Kagome!"

"The number you have dialed is not in—"

"Shit!" he shouted, slamming the phone into the nearby brick building. Yumi stared up at him. "Sorry."

"Is Mommy going to be okay?"

"She'll be fine. I won't let anything happen to her." He wished he could fulfill that promise. He tried the phone again. Only to find he had broken his when he slammed it against the wall. _Crap._ He looked down at Yumi to find her staring back in the direction they had just come from. "Everything okay?"

"I'm scared," she said, stepping closer to him.

Forcing a smile, he crouched down. "Did that guy scare you?" She nodded slowly. "Don't worry he's gone now."

She shook her head, frightened tears forming in her eyes. "No Daddy… he's not…"

Standing, he turned around, her hands tightening their grip on him. There was no one on the road. Granted, it was getting dark, but there should have been at least _some_ other people. A chill wind hit him, the cold cutting through his jacket like it was his bare skin. Behind him the traffic light turned red, washing the street in an ominous red glow. _He's not there. No one is._ He relaxed a little, resting his hand on Yumi's back. _But why do I feel so damn terrified?_

*******************

"May I buy you a drink?" a man asked, sliding in next to Kagome at the bar. She moved her hand in such a way to bring attention to the ring she wore.

"No thanks," she said, smiling politely. She hoped the ring would give him the hint that he didn't have a chance. Sometimes it worked, other times it only made the man try harder. Luckily, this one got the hint. Smiling, he left with as much dignity as he could muster after getting shot down. He wasn't alone. He was the sixteenth man who had approached her in the last two hours. The number for the day was much larger.

While Kagome chased the men away, Kikyo gathered them like bees to a queen. They had discussed it earlier. Since Kagome felt uncomfortable with the idea of playing bait, she would be the one to watch for any signs of trouble. Instead of gathering attention and standing in the spotlight, she kept to herself in the dark corners, watching her sister happily lead the men on.

_I can't believe I let Kikyo talk me into this dress._ It wasn't the worse she had worn, but it was far more revealing than she had planned on wearing. Her red dress showed just as much cleavage as Kikyo's, but Kikyo's… assets… suited hers better. Not to say Kagome didn't look good in hers. From the amount of men throwing themselves at her, she had to be. There was another downside to the dress. It was tight, meaning her mobility wouldn't be one hundred percent.

Laughing, Kikyo danced between several men on the dance floor. It took Kagome a few hours to realize her sister didn't believe they would find the man. That really worried her. While Kagome was keeping a close eye on her, she didn't feel her sister was doing her part. _If he goes after me, would she see it?_ If she _was_ keeping an eye on her, she hid it very well.

Kagome glanced down at her watch. It was nearly ten. _Yumi would be in bed by now._ She was tempted to call, but resisted the urge. Smiling, she ran her fingers along the top of her glass. _Besides, how much trouble could they get into in one day?_ A few more hours and they would call it a night. The later it got, the less likely they were going to find the man. Judging by how Kikyo was acting, she wouldn't be going home alone.

A quick trip to the bar to get another drink was delayed by yet another man who attempted to woo her over with a drink. Turning him down, she retreated quickly to her dark corner. She was almost there when a voice stopped her. "Kagome?" Recognizing the voice, she turned around. Her jaw dropped at the familiar sight. "It _is_ you!"

"Koga! Is that really you?" She reached out, careful not to spill her drink as she wrapped her arms around him in a hug. "What are you doing here?"

After a few seconds, he pulled away, running his eyes over her. "I was invited. Wow, someone's dressed up. Looking for a little action?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

She smiled brightly. "Afraid not," she said, wiggling her ring finger. "I'm actually just here to babysit," she said, motioning over to Kikyo.

He looked from Kikyo back to her. "You got married?" He sounded surprised and… disappointed.

"Yeah, a little over two years now," she said, nodding happily.

"Let me guess, Inuyasha?"

"Yeah."

"Lucky bastard. Last I heard, he was living the good life in college. Living with two succubi and having college girls just jumping to screw him, I'm surprised he's still living." He nodded slowly, as if impressed. "Here I thought you weren't the type to share."

"I'm not," she answered.

He looked as if he just realized he had wandered into a minefield. "I'm sorry, I just thought you were… uh… one of the succubi."

"Don't worry about it. It's all in the past. Speaking of which, where did you run off to?" She knew she was changing the subject. If he caught it, he didn't let on.

"My father was called off to China to help protect a newly born land god and dragged me with him. I only came back here recently."

Kagome was surprised at the news. "I had no idea land gods were born."

He smiled. "I didn't either. They are a pain in the ass to take care of. You have no idea how difficult it is to keep a baby safe when it isn't in control of its powers. China is a big damn place for a baby to be teleporting around randomly. It didn't help that the mother was constantly panicking and teleporting randomly trying to find it." He sighed, shaking his head as if remembering an unhappy memory. "But I'm back now." He glanced down at her ring. "Two years too late apparently."

She smiled mournfully. "Four actually. Inuyasha and I went on a little world trip for a couple years before coming back and having Yumi."

"You have a daughter too?" He pressed his hands to his temples. "One bomb after the next!

Laughing, they eventually made their way back to the table she had been sitting at. With someone to talk to, no one else bothered her and it made the time pass much quicker. They spent the next three hours catching up. Every so often, Kagome would look out to make sure Kikyo was okay. With the bar closing in an hour, there was little chance their target would show up.

"Kagome, can I ask you something?"

She smiled. "Of course."

"Did I ever have a chance?"

Her smile faded as he stared at her with a serious expression on his face. "Koga I…" She stopped, meeting his gaze. "Four years ago, yes; you had a chance. Even up to the night I got married, I might have considered a night or two." That surprised him, but not as much as it surprised her. _Would I really have slept with him when I was dating Inuyasha?_ There was a chance, but there wasn't any point thinking about it now. Ever since she said 'I do,' Inuyasha was, and would continue to be, her only man.

He shifted anxiously in his seat. "Okay then, let me ask this then: Do I still have a chance?" She was about to answer 'no' when he continued, stopping her. "I don't mean right now of course. Inuyasha is human after all. A couple decades from now…"

She sighed. "I don't know Koga, I really don't. Honestly, I don't want to think about that right now."

He backed away quickly. "Okay, I understand. It's all just hypothetical after all." Glancing down at his watch, he took a deep breath. "Speaking of time, I have to get going. Unlike someone, I need sleep." Kagome smiled as he stood. It appeared that he wanted to say something, but was torn whether to ask or not. Finally, he managed to spit it out. "You… think we could keep in contact?"

"Of course!" Taking a napkin, she quickly wrote down her cell number and address. "Give me a call sometime and we can catch up more."

Nodding happily, he stuffed the napkin into his pocket. "It was great seeing you again."

"You too," she said, pressing her lips softly against his cheek. Smiling, he backed away, giving her a wave before turning and heading off towards the exit. Sighing heavily, she glanced down at her watch. It _was_ late. _Better let Kikyo know it's time to go. Knowing her, she's probably dying to release some of the excitement that she's built up._ Stepping away from her table, she scanned the dance floor for the large group of men that usually surrounded her sister. Icy fear spread across her chest at the absence of the mob… and her sister. The place was starting to clear out. Spinning around in panic, she scanned the entire establishment but Kikyo was nowhere in sight. Rushing over to the bar, she flagged down the bartender.

"Have you seen my sister? She was wearing a black dress… kind of like mine. She's a little taller, but we look very similar."

"Of course I've seen her. I've been staring at that piece of eye candy all night!" His eyes ran over her. "You're not so bad yourself."

She ignored him. "Where did she go?"

He looked unhappy. "She left with some guy about five—ten minutes ago. She broke a lot of hearts tonight. Lucky fucking bastard."

One moment, Kagome was at the bar, the next, she was running full speed towards the exit. She lost her shoes somewhere between the second and third floor. Eyes followed her as she sprinted through the lobby and burst through the double doors. Gasping for breath, she looked left and right. Cars sped past her as she desperately looked for any sign of her sister. Spinning around, she stared at the doorman who shifted uncomfortably as she ran up to him.

"There was a woman, taller, looked a lot like me. Did you see her?" He nodded quickly, back pressed against the building. "Where? Where did she go?!" she shouted, grabbing the man's shirt, shaking him slightly.

"W-white BMW. Left awhile ago," the man sputtered.

"License plate!?" When he didn't answer fast enough, she shook him some more. He was clearly surprised someone so small had so much strength. "What was the license plate number!?"

"I-I-I don't know!" the man shouted. It looked like he was about to cry. Releasing him, she backed away slowly, pressing her hands against her forehead. _Fuck…. FUCK! Kikyo!_ Tears stung her eyes. She had let herself get distracted. _I'm so sorry Kikyo…. I'm so sorry…._

*******************

At first, Kikyo swore she had seen the man before. The more she tried to place him, the more the feeling that she recognized him faded. Unlike the other men who had swarmed around her, he had a certain air about him that immediately jumped out at her. From his skin and accent, she immediately knew he was from the Mediterranean, most likely Italy. Italian men weren't bad. Even if he wasn't the best looking of the group, it was better than just another Japanese man. She'd had nothing but them ever since she came back to Japan.

When he had her attention, he gave her a charming smile. "Hello, my name is Dante."

"Kikyo," she said, bowing her head slightly. Around her, the other men shot him warning glares. _'She's ours, back off.'_ Funny thing was she could have bedded all of them if she wanted. They were completely entranced by her. She tossed the thought. She wasn't _that_ hungry. Besides, groups over three became more trouble than they were worth. One was great, two a treat. Three…

"It's a pleasure to meet you Kikyo." He glanced down at her drink. "I would offer you a drink, but it appears you already have one."

Tipping it back against her lips, she finished off the remains of what she had been nursing for the past thirty minutes. It burned her throat as it made its way down. Smiling, she rotated the empty glass in her hand. "Another drink sounds nice."

Only one side of his mouth went up in a half-smile. "I'm not sure about that now. The last thing I want is you thinking I took advantage of you."

"Confident, aren't we? What makes you so sure you'll be the one I go home with?"

This time, he did smile. "A night with me and you'll never need another."

It took quite an effort to keep from laughing. _I find _that_ hard to believe; the bigger the boast, the bigger the letdown._ Still, he held an advantage over the other men plying for her attention. He was different and… interesting.

Pretending to think it over, she finally nodded. "Okay." The other men cried out in outrage. She silenced them with a wave of her hand. "Go on," she said, eyeing the other men. With mournful expressions, they dispersed. She almost felt sorry for them, almost. Even if they hadn't reached their ultimate goal of taking her home, they had fun with the attempt. Facing her chosen partner, she smiled sweetly. "You have a car, right?" She already knew the answer. This wasn't the kind of place that people without cars came to. They weren't cheap cars either.

"Of course."

"I came here with someone. I just need to let them know—"

One of his eyebrows rose in interest. "Oh? I didn't figure you were the type of person who needed permission to leave."

She frowned. "I don't."

"Night is fading quickly. You'll want all of it, and more," he added casually.

Kikyo shook her head. "You really are full of yourself."

He grinned as he offered his arm. "Why don't we find out just how much of it is true?"

Smiling, she took it. _This should prove interesting…_

*******************

Astonishing was all she could describe it as. The man named Dante wasn't as ordinary as he seemed and his skill far exceeded his boasts. His every touch set her alight as he ran his hands across her bare skin. Her breaths were ragged gasps as his lips brushed the smooth skin of her stomach. He traced his tongue along the black of her cursed tattoo. It was incredible and impossible at the same time. She could feel no difference in his technique from any of the others, yet the results were in a completely different world.

Her hands combed through his thick black hair as he ran his tongue along her slit. Moans of pleasure escaped her lips as his tongue probed her depths, quickly escalating to screams of passion. Her body writhed against the bed, fists clenching the bedding as she gasped for air. If this wasn't the fastest she'd been brought to orgasm, it was a close second. Body quivering, her legs tightened on his head as she came. She all but collapsed against the bed, her body limp from exhaustion as she struggled to fill her lungs with air.

His face appeared above her, a smug smile on his face. "Am I living up to your expectations?"

"You—shattered—them," she gasped, her mind sluggishly crawling back into gear. It had been a long time since she considered taking a man as a steady lover, but Dante had potential. She wondered if Inuyasha was like this with Kagome and that was why she was so determined to stay with only him. _From what she told me before, not by a long-shot._ The thought made warmth bubble inside her, spreading quickly from her stomach to encase her entire body. Kagome may have found a delicious meal, but Kikyo had found an incredible lover. So what if the ending was great if you didn't enjoy getting to it?

As her mind cleared from the post-orgasmic bliss, an odd feeling began to fall over her. There was something about the situation that wasn't right. As she mulled things over in her mind, Dante continued as normal. Spreading her legs so he could fit between them, he slid his hand over his erection several times, his eyes taking in her nude form. A wide smile spread across his lips as he positioned himself at her entrance. Feeling the tip press against her, her mind suddenly stumbled upon why the situation was weird. _Oral sex!_ It was extremely rare for a succubus to have oral performed on them. In fact, the only way she knew how was if another succubus was the one performing it or if it was another woman. The link formed between a succubus and her partner made it impossible for her to cum in that situation. If she did, the man would cum automatically as well and, without him being inside her, it would be a complete waste. _So if I came and he didn't…_ She could only think of one way that could be possible. _There is no link between us!_ Her blood ran cold as fear took hold. _Kagome!_

He thrust himself inside her. Instantly, all thought was washed away as pleasure overloaded her senses. Her control unraveled as she screamed loudly, bucking desperately against his forceful thrusts. Hands sliding along his sweat-covered skin, she did everything she could to get every ounce of power from him. His hands grabbed at her breasts, kneading them roughly as he slammed himself repeatedly into her.

Somewhere inside her, a small part of herself remained conscious of what was happening, but things unfolded in a blur. One moment she was on her back, the next, she was on her hands and knees, struggling to keep herself upright as he brutally slammed himself against her from behind._ It's too much! Too much!_ She screamed inside her head. As much as she commanded her body to stop, it refused. Like a drug, her body lusted for more, craving it with every cell of its being.

Next she found herself atop him. Her body ached, franticly trying to get the feeling it desired. Yet no matter how fast or hard she went it was never enough. Hands behind his head, he wore a smug smile as he watched her bounce atop him. Her hands pressed against his chest, mattress squeaking in protest below them. The small part of her consciousness knew she was now playing by his rules. There was obviously a link between them, only it was reversed. It had to be since she would have came a dozen times by now.

"You are far different from the others. No wonder you were number two on their list." He sounded calm, not like a man who had been having wild sex for the past twenty minutes. Talking was impossible for her. Even if she could form the words between her moans and yells, she was too busy gasping for air. Sweat covered her body. She wondered if she would die of exhaustion before anything else. "None of your other friends were this… passionate. Most tried to fight me off before… well, before the end I guess." To her surprise, a pained expression crossed his features. "I wish we had met in different circumstances."

She screamed at her unresponsive body to stop, to get off him and run. Sitting up, he wrapped his arms around her, holding her down atop him. The gleam of life left his eyes, giving him a dead, lifeless look before he pulled her tightly against him. Her body quivered as she came, the same instant, warmth spread inside her as he followed. Mouth open in a silent scream, she twitched against him as her body did what it was designed to. It was unlike anything she had ever experienced before. Energy came in many different 'flavors,' but nothing could be compared to this. It felt like a thick sludge was entering her. First, it filled her stomach before gradually spreading to other parts of her body. It hurt. Pain, unbelievable pain spread through her. Yet as much as she wanted to, she couldn't scream out. Body ridged, she twitched violently against his firm grasp. With all the internal pain, his mouth against her shoulder hardly registered.

Only once the sludge had filled every ounce and every cell of her body did he release her. Gently, he lowered her back against the bed. She stared at the ceiling, unable to move, unable to scream. That didn't mean she was still. At random intervals, her body continued to jerk and twitch. It was amazing she could still breathe. It felt like she was burning from the inside out.

Pulling out of her, he hovered over her. Biting his lower lip, sad eyes stared into hers. "I know how this sounds, but I _am_ sorry." Awkwardly, he leaned down, kissing her gently on the forehead before backing away.

With all her remaining strength, her hand shot out, grabbing his arm before he left the bed. "P-please…" she wheezed her lungs aflame. "Kill… me…" She was already dead, she understood that. She just didn't want to wait around for Death to finally realize it too, not with the intense pain she felt.

His expression was one of horror. "I-I can't," he whispered, pulling away from her. He wasn't even fully dressed as he left, the door slamming behind him. Tears rolled down her face. She didn't even have the strength to wipe the tears from her eyes. Fighting against the overwhelming pain that threatened to consume all reason, she tried to think of how long she had left. She knew only one thing: the end couldn't come soon enough.

*******************

**Thanks once more to Jay for taking the time to edit this for me. Also, thank you for everyone who left a review! They help motivate me to write more! I hope to have the next chapter out soon.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any characters associated with it. This story is rated for a mature audience.**

**Citrus Warning (For entire story) **

***Not currently edited. I will update with edited version when it becomes available.**

*******************

Kagome was a mess. By the time her mother and the others arrived, she had managed to stop crying, but her eyes were swollen and red. The entire time, she cursed herself over and over, blaming herself for her sister's disappearance.

Sitting on the steps of a run-down building, she heard running footsteps approach. Looking up, she found her mother's worried face looking down at her. "What happened?" she demanded angrily.

None were wearing dresses any longer, meaning they had all used magic to change. They didn't have the energy capacity she had. If they got into a fight now… "I-I…" She shook her head, a fresh wave of tears overtaking her.

Her mother grabbed her by the shoulders, nails digging into her skin as she shook her. "Get a hold of yourself!"

"I didn't watch her!" Kagome bawled. "She was right there! It was only a moment! Only a moment!" Her mother swore loudly, releasing her.

"What do we do?" Eiko asked worriedly. She appeared to be on the edge of tears as well. Only Maya and Anna looked to be holding things together.

"We need to find her, obviously," Anna said her voice oddly cold and calm. Apparently, she wasn't as collected as she appeared to be.

"Yes, but how do we do that? She could be anywhere," Eiko said softly, turning her attention to Kagome's mother.

"I—" Her response was choked off. Sadly, she shook her head.

"There is the land god," Maya said gently. "This area has one, no?"

For a second, hope surged through them, appearing in their expression. "No," her mother said, killing it quickly. "I doubt he could get himself involved in something like this. They have rules, just like everyone else."

"We could still try!" Eiko cried.

Her mother sighed. "I guess it wouldn't hurt. Anna, Eiko, go see if you can find Myoga."

"It only takes one of us," Anna said.

"Yes but I think we all have learned how important it is not to be alone, especially now." Her mother's words caused Kagome to break into sobs once more. Her mother continued, ignoring her. "Go, quickly. We don't have much time."

"Right." Together, they both ran off.

"And us?" Maya asked, her eyes glancing down at Kagome.

"We search."

"It's going to be difficult if we all stay together."

"But it's far too dangerous to split up. I know what you're trying to say, but we stay together." Maya nodded once. Looking over at Kagome, her mother bent down to get to face level.

"She's going to die because of me," she sobbed. Her mother's hand connected with her cheek hard enough to nearly knock her off balance. Stunned, she looked in horror at her attacker.

"I told you to watch each other!" Kagome's lip quivered. The pain had stopped her tears, but her mother's words threatened to start them once more. Suddenly, her mother hugged her, squeezing her tightly. Her voice trembled as she whispered in her ear. "She's going to be okay. Kikyo's a tough woman. We'll find her. But I need you to be strong. If anyone is going to rescue her, it'll be you." Her mother's hand stroked her hair gently as she spoke. It was then that Kagome realized her mother's hand was shaking. Though her mother looked angry, it was all she could do to keep from breaking down.

Taking a deep breath, Kagome nodded. "Right."

Her mother released her, a forced smile on her face. "Okay?"

Nodding, Kagome wiped the tears from her eyes, taking a deep, shaky breath as she pulled herself together. _Mom's right now isn't the time to be crying. _She stood up. "Where do we start first?" Both Maya and her mother smiled. _Don't worry Kikyo… We'll find you._

*******************

"Anything?" Kagome asked as Anna and Eiko slowed to a stop. They paused to catch their breath, shaking their heads sadly.

"It was just as you said," Eiko gasped, looking over towards Kagome's mother. "He can't involve himself yet."

"Any luck on your end?" Anna added quickly.

Both Kagome and her mother cursed. "Nothing. The cities a big place," Kagome said, pressing a hand against her slick forehead. She had been running for quite some time. She had spent some energy changing into something more comfortable for running, but by now, it was soaked in sweat. The sun was beginning to rise. A sullen atmosphere settled on the women as they stood there. No one said it, but they were all thinking it. Kikyo was running out of time.

"We won't give up," Maya said, looking at Kagome as she spoke. It was like she had just read her mind. "We'll find her in time." The others nodded in agreement.

"So what do we do next?" Eiko asked, looking around. Everyone was silent, deep in thought. _If only I could use magic to find her._ Her mother refused to waste energy trying. The vampire poison would make it impossible to detect her. Kagome was really the only one in the group who had enough energy left to try and she needed to save it for when they found her.

She jumped as her cell phone vibrated in her pocket. She remembered she had turned it on in case Kikyo somehow managed to get a call or text out. The others looked at her in puzzlement as she dug into her pocket, nearly ripping the phone out. She half-expected it to be Inuyasha, texting to find out why she hadn't come home yet. If it was, she would ignore it. Opening the phone, she frowned as she examined the sender. _Unknown_ was displayed across the top of the message.

"Is it her?" Eiko asked excitedly.

Kagome shook her head as she opened the message. "I don't know—" She froze in midsentence as she read over the message. It was extremely short.

_-Aoi Hana Hotel_

_-Room 326_

"What is it?" Anna asked, breaking the silence.

Smiling, tears ran from Kagome's eyes. "I know where she is."

*******************

"That was awfully nice of you," Erik said, eyes watching him from the rearview mirror. "You sure they can't trace you with that or anything?"

Dante closed his phone with a loud snap. "No." He stared out the window. The sun was coming up. _Is she still alive?_ It had been awhile since he left her in the hotel. He had been surprised to regain his senses and find her still alive. He was tired and as much as he wanted to, sleep eluded him. Every time he closed his eyes, her expression haunted him. She had been in so much pain, her voice, pleading for him to end it. _If she is, maybe her friends will help her._ He wondered if he would get in trouble for telling her sister where she was. His client had to know, they seemed to know everything that happened. _They can kill me if they want. I don't care anymore._ Even if they were demons, they didn't deserve what he was doing. No one did. _I only wish I stopped earlier._ It was too late now. You couldn't change the past, only live on for the future.

He was expecting the call when it came. Actually, he wondered why it took so long. Opening his phone, he held it against his ear. "Yeah?"

"Excellent work Mr. Rizzo."

Dante blinked, stupefied. "Huh?" he said dumbly.

"Excellent work. We're impressed, you were every bit as we expected. You had us worried. We almost had to step in, but you pulled through in the end."

"I… uh…" He stumbled over his words. Finally, he managed to collect himself. "You _wanted_ me to contact her sister."

"Or someone else close to her. Why else would we give you their contact numbers?"

"_Why?_"

"That, Mr. Rizzo, is none of your concern. What _does_ concern you, is your payment. We have deposited the other half of the agreed upon amount, plus a sizable bonus."

"You mean—"

"You're finished. Done. You've accomplished what we hired you for."

"Just like that?" he asked, suspicion in his voice.

"Just like that."

"What about the list? I haven't even gotten close to half-way."

"The list is of no concern anymore. We have what we want."

"Then all those women—"

"Demon's Mr. Rizzo, they may look like us, but they are far from human. Everything you've done was preparation for last night."

"I'm really done?"

"You're really done." Dante felt the car roll to a stop as Erik stopped at a red light. "Enjoy your reward Mr. Rizzo. Goodbye."

The line went dead. Blinking, Dante pulled the phone away from his ear. A smile spread across his face. _I'm done! I did it!_ The smile vanished instantly as a sudden, peaceful understanding came over him. In front of him, Erik half-turned in his seat so he had a clear view of the back. A large, silenced pistol appeared in his hand, pointed squarely at his chest.

"Sorry man. I really like you, but orders…"

Sighing, Dante nodded slowly. He didn't feel any anger, only… peace. Actually, he felt sorry for Erik. There was a good chance he wasn't going to last much longer either. He closed his eyes. Luckily, he only felt the first shot before he felt nothing at all.

*******************

Kagome all but broke the door as she rushed inside. Kikyo was nude on the bed, her body twitching every so often.

"My God," Kagome said, rushing to her side. Kikyo was burning up, her eyes full of pain. Their mother pushed her way past Anna and Eiko to leap on the bed with Kagome. Her hands moved feverishly as she pressed her fingers against Kikyo's face.

"Did we make it?" Kagome asked, looking at her mother.

She nodded slowly. "Barely, but there is still time."

"I'll give her some energy," Kagome said as she lowered her head towards her sisters.

"No!" her mother shouted, stopping her just before their lips met. "Do that and the poison will spread to you."

"Then what do we do?" she cried, holding back tears. Below her, Kikyo gave a weak moan. "Shh, save your strength."

"My God! Look!" Eiko said, pointing wide-eyed towards Kikyo's stomach. All eyes turned to find… nothing. Confusion spread across their mother's face.

"The seal… it's gone."

"What does that mean?" Anna said.

"For whatever reason, the seal was broken, meaning she absorbed as much of the poison as her body was able to." Slowly, she looked up at Kagome. "One man isn't going to be able to purge the poison in her system."

"Then two—or three!" Anna said quickly. "However many it takes!" Everyone else was silent. "Come on! What are we waiting for!?"

Eiko was the one to break the silence. "Sacrificing one man is bad enough, but three?"

"More like four or five. We have to ensure _all_ the poison is expelled. If even a little bit remains… I can't even guarantee five would do it. It becomes increasingly difficult to expel if there are breaks in between. It allows the poison to spread back."

"Why!? Why are we giving up now!?" Anna screamed, tears forming. "She's right there! Right there! There has to be something! Anything!" Beside her, Eiko began sobbing softly.

Kagome realized her mother's gaze had never left her. "There is something—isn't there?"

"There... might be."

She knew instantly that she wasn't going to like it. In fact, she had a pretty good idea where it was leading. "It's Inuyasha, isn't it?"

"Yes." Kagome closed her eyes as her mother continued. "With the amount of raw energy he holds, he's the best chance of clearing the poison."

"But?"

Her mother hesitated. "There is a chance it could kill him."

She opened her eyes to find everyone staring at her. She glanced over at the three standing against the bed before turning to face her mother. "You know I can't say yes to that."

"Is it really the only way?" Eiko asked. She sounded just as distraught as Kagome.

"No, but it is the best."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Anna said, gathering Kikyo's clothes.

"He's my husband!" she cried angrily.

"She's your sister!" Anna shouted back. She thrust a finger accusingly at Kagome. "We wouldn't even be in this situation if _you_ had done your job and watched her!"

"Don't you think I know that!?" Kagome choked, struggling to hold back tears. "But how can you ask me to make a decision like this? I can't… I just can't!" The thought of losing her sister was devastating. Losing Inuyasha was just as bad. To ask her to pick between them was torture beyond any physical pain could cause.

"Then perhaps we should ask Inuyasha himself?" Maya asked, speaking for the first time since entering the room. Unlike everyone else, she seemed to be the only one able to keep herself together.

Kagome twisted her head to look at her. "What?"

"It's worth a try."

Her head snapped over to her mother, a look of betrayal on her face. "You're going to ask him!?"

Her mother's expression frightened her. Her voice was unnaturally calm considering the situation. "I'm not going to sit back and just watch my daughter die. He's the best chance she has."

"If he refuses?" By the rage and desperation in her mother's expression, she was almost afraid to ask.

"Then Anna and Maya will gather the necessary men—"

"You can't be serious!" Eiko cried out, horrified. "If we do that, we're no better than the Order—"

"If we are going to get the bastards who did this, we are going to need everyone we possibly can. Kikyo is one of our most powerful. We can't afford to lose her. We can't afford to lose _anyone_." She pointed towards Anna. "Hurry up and help me dress her. We are running out of time."

An icy atmosphere blanketed the room as Anna and her mother worked to dress Kikyo. Kagome sat on the bed, blankly staring at them work as she became lost in her thoughts. _Kikyo… Inuyasha… _Her lower lip quivered. _If either of them die, it will be because of me._ She jumped slightly as Eiko rested her hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry, everything will work out fine."

Kagome nodded slowly, reaching up to grab the others hand. If Inuyasha chose to help and saved her sister, she would owe him a debt so large she wouldn't be able to repay it in a thousand lifetimes. Her eyes slid down to the ring she wore on her finger. She knew full well what would happen if Inuyasha agreed. _My punishment._ It was a heavy price, but she would pay it. She had no choice.

*******************

Inuyasha woke with a start. Still groggy, he looked around, trying to identify his surroundings. A few seconds and he realized he was on the living room couch. The TV was still on, the annoying DVD menu song replaying endlessly. Pain ran through his right arm as blood surged back into it. Gritting his teeth against the pain, he opened and closed his hand as the prickling sensation coated his arm. _Last time I use my arm as a pillow._ Looking down at the heavy weight against him, he found Yumi nestled peacefully against him. Her head suddenly looked up, her wide eyes meeting his.

He smiled. "Did I wake you?" She shook her head. "Looks like we fell asleep watching the movie," he said, looking at the TV.

"No, Daddy fell asleep watching the movie. I stayed up until the end!"

"A-ah." He scratched his nose.

"Mommy didn't come home last night," she said sadly, poking a finger against the couch cushion.

"She'll be home soon," he answered, looking towards the door. _I hope._ Reaching for his cell phone, he checked it. As he expected, there were no messages. _The least she could do is send me a text._ It was one thing to stay out all night with her sister and mother, it was another staying out all night chasing a killer.

After some careful maneuvering, he swung his legs over Yumi and sat up on the couch. The run in with Edward Small didn't help things either. _He said something about a demonstration._ Chewing on his lower lip, he stared at the cell phone. He was about to call when a sudden bang sounded against the door. A jolt of adrenaline shot through him as he got to his feet. There was another bang followed by the door opening.

"Mommies home!" Yumi squealed, running towards the door. Inuyasha was right behind her. He was shocked by what he found. Kagome, her mother and Anna all carried a limp Kikyo into the apartment. Thinking quickly, he grabbed Yumi and pulled her out of the way as they rushed past.

"What happened?" he demanded, starting to move after them when two others entered. He recognized Eiko, but not the other woman. They closed the door behind them. "Is everything alright?"

"No," Eiko said coldly, pushing past him. The other woman gave him a quick bow before following after her.

"Daddy, I'm scared," Yumi whispered.

He rested a hand atop her head. "Everything's okay." _This is why I didn't want to get involved!_ Getting down on his knees, he gave Yumi as comforting a smile as he could. "Daddy needs to go talk to Mommy. I need you to stay out here okay?" She nodded slowly. She smiled as he ruffled her hair. "Good girl."

He heard muffled voices as he approached his bedroom. The voices became clear as he opened the door.

"…worse than I thought. She doesn't have much time."

"What happened?" he asked, closing the door behind him. He found Kikyo lying on his bed. She was sickeningly pale. "Good lord…"

"She's been poisoned," Kagome mother said, turning to face him.

"Shouldn't she be at a hospital?"

"A hospital can't help her—"

"But you can!" Anna said, interrupting as she took a step closer. Kagome shot her an angry glare.

Scratching his head, he looked around. He was uncomfortable with everyone staring at him. "Uh, I don't know how, but if there's anything I can do—"

"See! He agreed!" she declared happily.

"He hasn't agreed to anything," Kagome snapped angrily. "We haven't even told him."

"Told me what?"

"She needs to purge the poison from her system," her mother said, stepping in before anyone else could. "In order to do that, she needs a rather large supply of energy."

There was silence as they let it sink in. His expression turned to horror. "You want me to—" He stopped, unable to force the words out. He shook his head. "N—"

"I wouldn't ask you if there was a better way," she continued before he could finish. Suddenly, the strength left her. The strong, mature woman withered into a weak, worry-ridden one. It was a heart-wrenching sight of a parent who was grasping desperately at the fading hope of saving a dying child. "Please Inuyasha… Please save my daughter. I beg you."

"And you're okay with this?" he choked out, looking at Kagome. She looked away, unable to meet his gaze. The action spoke larger than words. He felt… betrayed. "I don't—" His words caught in his throat again as he looked back at his mother-in-law. The others around her all had a deathly atmosphere. It was unbearably depressing. His gaze bore into Kagome. "Do you want me to do this?"

Kagome was silent for a moment. Under his constant stare, she finally broke her silence. "I… think it should be your decision."

"I'm not asking that. I'm asking if you want me to."

Her eyes darted over to her weak sister atop the bed. When her eyes returned to him, they held a firm resolution. "I do."

A pained expression crossed his features as he looked away. "After all these years… yet you answer so quickly."

"You think I want this?!" she exploded. "But if you think I will just stand by and let my sister die when there is a chance to save her…"

Inuyasha looked over at her mother. "Is this dangerous?"

"There _is_ a minute chance the poison could kill you."

Her answer only enraged him more as he looked back at Kagome. "Wonderful. Glad I'm more expendable than your sister."

A look of horror spread across Kagome's face. "How could you even say that?"

"I don't know, maybe because you want me to screw your sister knowing it could kill me." Saying it aloud only made the situation sound worse than it already was.

"It won't."

"Oh? And what makes you so sure?"

"Because I know you're stronger than that," she whispered, looking down.

Turning, Inuyasha slammed his fist into the wall, causing a massive crater to form. Ignoring the pain, he took deep breaths and released them nosily through his nose in an attempt to calm his raging emotions. _How could she even ask me to do this? I'm her _husband_!_ By doing this, everything they had been through, everything they strived to be was all in vain. _Four years. _Four years_ we've been together and she wants me to throw it away just like that?_ A small part of him understood the situation. Kikyo was family to her, and had been for a lot longer than Inuyasha had been around. If Yumi was dying and the only way to save her was having Kagome sleep with another man, Inuyasha would allow it in a heartbeat. A parent saving their child was a little different, but the concept behind it was the same. Did it make him feel better about it? No, but he understood why Kagome was acting the way she was. Then he had to consider the consequences of _not_ doing it. By the looks of Kagome's mother and especially Anna, he doubted they would let him get away with saying 'no.' A simple command and he would be off to mindlessly do the deed. _That might not be so bad…_ He squelched the thought before it could finish. The only thing he could hate more than what he was being asked to do would be doing it while entranced. _So even if I say 'no' and Anna and Mother allow it, there is Kagome._ In her eyes, if Inuyasha said no and walked away, that would be as good as killing Kikyo. Oh yes, he could hold his head high and say he was faithful to his wife until the end, but if he did that, how long did he honestly expect his marriage to last after he had let his sister-in-law die when he had the power to save her? _Not long._ Even if by some miracle he managed to save their marriage, it would never be the same.

_So I can save the marriage by being unfaithful, or destroy the marriage by being faithful._ He loved the way life threw him curveballs, only instead of curveballs, they were line drives for his head._ I would never be in this situation if Kagome wasn't a succubus._ He regretted the thought as soon as it crossed his consciousness. It made it sound as if he made the wrong choice by marrying her. _I knew going into this that it wouldn't be easy._ Still, he had been more than a little spoiled over the years. Considering how succubi survived, making it this far without something like this was an amazing feat. _Still, I never expected _I_ would be the one to do this._ Not that reversing the situation would be any better.

Leaning forward, he tapped his head against the unyielding wall, letting the pain wash over his head. With a deep breath, he finally turned around to face the group once more. "I'll do it." He watched as relief washed over the women. "Let me say goodbye to Yumi then."

Kagome's mother nodded in understanding. "But please be quick. There isn't much time."

Nodding he quickly exited the room. He found Yumi sitting on the couch. "Hey," he said, smiling. She looked over her shoulder at him. Only after he said something did he realize he had no idea what he wanted to say.

"Is Aunt Kikyo okay?" she asked softly.

"She's sick, but she's going to get better," he said, taking a seat beside her.

She eyed him suspiciously. "Are you sure?"

Smiling, he ruffled her hair. "I told you Mommy would be back didn't I?"

Frowning, she crossed her arms. "Yeah, but not at the right time."

Suddenly, he reached around and pulled her against him. Taking a deep breath, he squeezed her tightly.

"Daddy, it hurts," she coughed out.

"Sorry," he said, releasing her. "I… have to go back."

She tilted her head as she watched him stand. "Okay."

Smiling, he ran his hand over her head one more time before heading back towards his room. Everyone was waiting outside minus Kagome, gloomy expressions on their faces. _I feel like I'm walking to my execution._ He found Kagome standing next to the bed, staring down at Kikyo. She looked over as he approached.

"Inuyasha I—"

"Get out," he said coldly.

Her eyes finally met his. "But—"

"I'm not doing this with my wife watching. Get out."

She didn't move. "I don't mind." It sounded like a line rehearsed countless times.

"That's why I don't want you here." It looked like she was going to argue, but decided against. With a nod, she walked towards the door, head down. He grabbed her arm as she was passing. _If this does kill me, I'm not leaving her like this._ She didn't look up until he pressed his finger under her chin, forcing her. "I love you."

Tears ran down her face as she nodded. "I love you too." Though their lips met, he cut the kiss short. He felt terrible, and it wasn't because he was about to do something that could kill him. She seemed to understand because she ran her hand across his cheek, forcing a smile. She left without saying anything more, slowly closing the door behind her. He remained motionless, even after the door clicked closed.

Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to move over to the bed. Kikyo lay there, utterly helpless as she weakly gasped for breath. He made an awkward start towards her only to stop. Thinking for a moment, he tried again only to stop once more. _How the hell do I do this?_ Did he completely undress her? Did _he_ need to completely undress? The last thing he wanted was dying naked with another woman.

He decided to take the middle road. After some awkward maneuvering, he managed to get her pants off. She didn't have anything under it. He cringed at the sight of dried semen. Taking a deep breath, he undid his pants. _This is wrong… This is so very wrong…_ His body seemed to agree. It took him several minutes to finally get himself hard. Gently spreading her legs, he climbed onto the bed. _God, she's burning up._ He rested his hand against her skin. _Just need to get it over with._

Taking a deep breath, he pushed himself inside. He didn't know what to expect, but it certainly wasn't this. It was… normal, or at least as normal as doing it with someone who didn't move or make sounds could be. He did his best to ignore the wetness; not really wanting to know what it was that lubricated his thrusts. He felt sick, but continued despite his feelings. Closing his eyes, he resisted the urge to laugh at the absurdity of everything, his hips moving automatically. Even if he didn't like it, his body was more than happy to betray him. As terrible as it was, he had always thought that if there was infidelity in the marriage, it would have been Kagome. Never in a million years would he have believed it would be him, and the woman he would cheat with would be Kagome's sister. _And I'm doing it to save her life._

Keeping his eyes closed the entire time, he tried focusing on nothing but thrusting. The longer it took, the more embarrassing it became. His thoughts drifted to Kagome, who was waiting on the other side of the door for him to finish. _Does she think I'm enjoying this?_ The thought drove him to thrust with all his might. _The sooner I finish—_As if on cue, he felt himself closing in on release. Pushing himself as deep as he could, he opened his eyes as he climaxed. It felt like every other time he had sex with Kagome. The entirety of his body tingled, like blood rushing into a leg than had been asleep. It lasted only a second. Pain instantly spread across his entire body. Instead of the feeling something was being sucked from him, something was rushing _into_ him and it hurt like hell.

Whatever was happening, it was working. Under him, Kikyo's skin began to color again, her temperature cooling to more reasonable levels. Him on the other hand, it felt like a million worms wiggling around inside him, eating at his insides. Unfortunately, his lungs were frozen. Not only could he not scream, but he couldn't breathe.

And then it was over. With a great gasp, air rushed into his lungs. He collapsed forward onto Kikyo. Below him, she stirred, crushed by his weight. "I-Inuyasha?! Wha—"

"You… made… it…" He wheezed out as his eyes grew heavy. "That's…" Her yells were the last thing he heard before blackness swallowed him.

*******************

He was dying. Or maybe he was already dead. It was hard for him to tell. It felt like he was floating, or maybe falling. He couldn't tell surrounded by darkness. _So this is the end._

_It doesn't have to be,_ a deep voice rumbled. The world around him felt like it shook with the words. Fear ran across him. He was surprised he could still feel fear. The voice itself came from no specific spot. It just… was.

"Who's there?"

_Someone who cares deeply about whether you live or die._

He looked around, or at least, he thought he looked around. "I think it's a little late for that."

_It's never too late, not for someone like me._

"Just who are you?"

_A friend._

Inuyasha was silent for a moment. "Considering I'm dead and there's no white light welcoming me, I take it this isn't Heaven. Since this isn't Heaven, I would venture a guess that you aren't as friendly as you say you are."

_This is neither Heaven nor Hell. You are not dead… yet._

"Huh. Then what am I?"

_Your soul is in limbo, unable to leave your body and unable to attach as well._

"That… doesn't sound good."

_It can be fixed._

"How?"

_I need only your word and I shall make it so._

"My word?"

_Yes. Release me from the shackles that imprison me. Allow me to help you._

"Help me?"

_You seek power yes? I hold powers that gods themselves fear. Release me, and they shall be yours._

Inuyasha considered what the voice was saying. "It sounds too good to be true. Obviously you were imprisoned for a reason."

_As I said before, your life means a great deal to me. You live, I live. You die, I die. I do not offer myself for your benefit, but for my own._

The situation suddenly became clear to him. "You're the demon that Myoga sealed inside me! You're the one Naraku tried to summon!" He began shaking his head, or at least, it felt like he was. "No way! I'd rather spend eternity here then free you!"

_Is that so?_

The blackness peeled away. Inuyasha found himself in his apartment, only it was… different. Frowning, he looked around. The furniture had changed. The carpet and walls were different colors. "Where is this?"

_The future,_ the voice answered. Frantically, he looked around. Like before, he couldn't make out where the voice was coming from. At least he could see something. He walked over to the couch, freezing mid-step as something caught his eye. It was a digital picture frame, the images automatically shifting after a few seconds. The pictures weren't of him and Kagome. Instead, she stood next to another man, smiling happily at the camera as he wrapped his arm around her. To the side was a woman he didn't recognize.

"How far is this?"

_Three months since your death._

Inuyasha backed away from the picture frame. His feet went through the small table as if it didn't exist. "You're lying. She looks too happy for it to be only three months."

_Succubi don't feel the kind of emotional attachment humans do._

"That's bullshit."

The door opened. He turned to watch the man from the picture enter, setting down several large bags. "I'm home," he called out.

"Welcome home!" Inuyasha watched, horrified as Kagome rushed to the door, wrapping her arms around him and kissing him deeply. "How was Italy? Did you find what you were looking for?" The unknown man shook his head sadly. She looked sad as well. Gently taking his hands, she pulled him out of the entranceway into the living room. "Well, I finally have you back for myself. I don't want to waste any more time."

Inuyasha pressed his hands over his eyes, not wanting to watch. To his dismay, he could see through his hands. He turned around only to find them once more. No matter where he looked or what he did, the scene played out before him. Kagome giggled lightly as the man undressed her. She let out a squeal as he pushed her back onto the couch, climbing over her. "Koga!" she moaned.

"Stop it! I don't want to watch this! STOP IT NOW!" he roared. The scene suddenly changed. He was in the same place, looking at the same thing, only Kagome wasn't there. Like before, the room looked different. "Where am I now?"

_Four months after your death._

The door bust open. It was the same man, but his appearance was different. He looked thinner, more ragged. Worse still, he looked hurt. "Kagome! Kagome come on! We have to go!" Silence greeted him as he stepped into the living room. White snow covered his coat. "Kagome?" Inuyasha followed the man down the hall, entering his—no—their bedroom. Inside, he found Kagome against the floor. She looked peaceful resting in a pool of blood, a large red stain in her blue sweater. A man in a black robe stood over her. Face hidden, he looked towards the man who shouted in rage, leaping at him.

Inuyasha wasn't quite sure what happened, but the robed man raised his hand. Energy crackled, slamming into the man and tossing him across the room. The man's lifeless body crashed against the dresser, breaking it before collapsing against the floor, smoking heavily. That was of little concern to Inuyasha, his gaze still transfixed on the lifeless Kagome. The image was too painful for him mind to comprehend, so it simply stopped trying. Even in the comatose world around him felt numb.

The robed man looked up at Inuyasha, his face still cloaked by the shadow from his hood. A long, withered finger exited from the confines of the robe and pointed at Inuyasha. It took several seconds for Inuyasha to realize _he_ was the one being pointed at. Emotions rushed back into him, fear pricking his skin. "You can see me?" That shouldn't have been possible. According to the voice, this was a vision of the future.

"_You_ took from me, so I shall take from you."

"I didn't take anything from you!" He followed where the finger pointed as it lowered from his chest to his stomach.

"Death for you, death for Him. Give me Him and I shall give you her." His other hand gestured towards Kagome.

Inuyasha started laughing. The robed figure didn't move. In fact, it didn't react at all. "Nice try, but I'm not buying it." He looked over at the smoking corpse of the man that had been hit by the energy blast. "Who was it, Koga? I don't recognize him and I doubt Kagome does either. She may be a succubus, but she isn't one that would move on _that_ quickly and let another guy move in." He shook his head. "Trying to scare me into releasing you isn't going to work, sorry."

"I am Four. I seek the forthcoming. You have entered my world." The robed man spread his arms apart, hand disappearing back into the sleeve. "We are Five. Give us Him and we shall give you her. Give us Him and we shall give you her. Give us Him and we shall—" The robed figure began floating towards him, repeating itself continuously.

Inuyasha backed away as it approached. "Stop! Stay away from me!" Turning, he found himself encased in blackness once more.

_If you die, your family will as well. Release me and I will give you more power than you could ever hope for._

He felt a shiver run through his body, the image of Kagome still fresh in his mind. _He's lying. He's making things up so I would release him._ Even though he knew that was happening, he couldn't let go of the sickening feeling that resided in his gut. What if it was true? What if his family really _was_ in danger? Even if he was ninety-nine percent sure the voice was lying to him, would he gamble the wellbeing of his family on a one percent uncertainty? Could he?"These Five… I can defeat them?"

_With nothing more than a wave of your hand,_ the voice answered. _Not even a god could stop you._

Though he couldn't see his body, he could feel it. It was shaking. He didn't need to think about it any longer. He had made his decision. "What do I have to do?"

Six glowing-red eyes appeared from the darkness. A massive mouth followed, razor sharp teeth appearing as blackness separated the two rows. It shot towards him. With a scream, the mouth engulfed him.

*******************

Inuyasha awoke to the feeling of nausea. He had barely opened his eyes when he felt his stomach lurch. Automatically rolling to his side, he emptied the contents of his stomach. Luckily, there was a bucket sitting against the bed. He managed to get most of it in. Only a few seconds passed before he heaved again, depositing a fresh batch into the bucket. A hand gently rubbed his back as he puked for the third time. Coughing and gasping for air, Inuyasha's stomach finally calmed enough for him to see what exactly he had been throwing up. It wasn't the sort of vomit he was use to. Inside the bucket and the floor around it was a black sludge. Thin wisps rose from it as it evaporated. It took a second for him to realize he was seeing energy rather than physical liquid. He had just finished the thought when the forth wave hit. Exhausted, he fell back onto the bed, staring up at the ceiling as he gasped for breath. His head was pounding and he felt miserable.

Kagome's smiling face appeared above him, her hand pressing a towel against his sweaty forehead. "You still have a fever, but the worst has passed." She sounded relieved. When he tried to sit up, she pressed down against his chest, forcing him back down. "You need to rest. You absorbed a lot of poison and your body needs time to expel it." As if on cue, he rolled over. It felt like his insides were trying to escape through his mouth. Groaning miserably, he rolled back onto the bed. Kagome replaced the towel as he closed his eyes.

"How long was I out?" he asked weakly.

"About twelve hours." Her voice sounded strained. "There were a few times I thought I would lose you." She started laughing. Only after a few seconds did Inuyasha realize it wasn't laughter. Lowering her head, she pressed it against his chest.

"I'm not going anywhere," he said, resting his hand atop her head. "How's Kikyo?"

"She's fine now, better than before actually. After you—" She stopped suddenly as painful memories surfaced. "After you cured her, the curse didn't return."

"That's good to hear. And Yumi?"

"The others took her to play—"

"No!" he cried, sitting up. Kagome leaned away as he emptied another stomach-full of sludge energy into the bucket. Groaning, he found himself staring at the ceiling once more.

"Don't move. You're not finished recovering yet."

Ignoring her warning, he reached over to grab her arm. "Don't let Yumi outside. Too dangerous…"

"She's fine. The five most powerful succubi are there to protect her. Besides, Kikyo knows what the man looks like."

"No," he gasped, tightening his grip. Between the vomiting, the fever and the moving around, his body was quickly approaching its limit. "Too dangerous… They know… Five… Can't…" His warning broke down into nonsense as Kagome wiped the sweat from his face. His grip on her arm slackened and his arm fell to the bed. Eyes rolling up into his head, he closed his eyes as exhaustion finally took its toll.

*******************

**Please leave a review! I'd really appreciate it!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any characters associated with it. This story is rated for a mature audience.**

**Citrus Warning (For entire story) **

***Not edited. Will update with edited version later.**

*******************

For a brief moment, Miroku felt exhilarated at what he had accomplished. The changes to the program were almost complete and he had done nearly all of it by himself. Granted, most of it was minor interface tweaks, but it was still time consuming. Leaning back in his chair, he rubbed his eyes before glancing over at his cell phone resting beside the keyboard. Inuyasha had said he was going to work from home, but he had never called once. None of the emails Miroku sent had been answered either. In the end, Miroku had to test the software changes himself.

_What the hell is going on with everyone?_ The situation with Sango was understandable, but Inuyasha disappearing was inconceivable to him. Inuyasha had always made sure to let Miroku know where he was going if he was going to be out of contact for awhile. Sure, Miroku _could_ go to his house and see what was up, but the possibility that Sango was there kept him away. If – no – when he met Sango again, he wanted them to be alone. There was a lot for them to discuss.

Running his hands through his hair, he spun his computer chair side-to-side. Saving his work, he shut his computer off. _That's enough for today._ Gathering his things, he headed for the door. He gave the small office a quick look over before turning off the lights and closing the door. Locking it, he headed for the exit. It was dark outside. Glancing down at his watch, he let out a weary sigh. It was later than he expected it to be. _No wonder I'm so tired. At least I don't have to come in that early tomorrow._ With things as they were, he could easily finish things in a few hours. There was no sense for him to rush to work when he was just going to leave early anyways.

After deciding against waving down a taxi, Miroku started off in the direction home. It was chilly, but not unbearably so. As he strolled past closed shops, he debated whether to take a detour to rent a video or two. After working over fourteen hours straight, he needed to do _something_ to wind-down and relax. He knew what he really wanted, but Sango wasn't there. His stomach rumbled angrily, reminding him there were more important things than sex, like not eating in the past fourteen hours.

"Fine, fine. I'll get you something to eat," he said softly as he patted his stomach. _So first the convenience store and _then_ the video store._ Mentally plotting out his course, he adjusted his direction accordingly. He was still a few blocks away when his cell began ringing. "About time," he muttered as he pulled it from his pocket. Pausing to glance at the caller-ID, he was surprised to find it wasn't Inuyasha calling. Opening the phone, he held it to his ear. "Hello."

"Ah, hi," Avery said, sounding surprised. It struck him as odd since she was the one who called him. "It's Avery," she added as an afterthought, as if he wouldn't recognize her voice.

"Hey, what's up?" he asked, slowing his pace.

"Uh… not much. You?"

Frowning, Miroku scratched the back of his neck. It sounded like she had no idea what she wanted to say. Again, it was odd. "I just got out of the office. The software should be ready by tomorrow." He nodded to himself. _I need to keep things professional._

"That's… good to hear." There was a definite pause in her answer.

"That's not why you called, is it?"

"No." Before he could say anything, she continued. "Are you free right now?"

Miroku chewed on his lower lip as he took a deep breath through his nose. He looked around as if he was going to get caught doing something he shouldn't. "I don't know—"

"I ordered some Italian food earlier that I can heat up. Please? We really need to talk."

The mention of food got a big thumbs-up from his stomach. That wasn't the only thing that got excited at the prospect of visiting Avery. The thing that concerned him was he didn't know which one influenced his decision more. "I'm on my way."

"You know where to go, right?"

"If you didn't move hotels on me, I remember."

"Okay, I'll see you in a bit." To his surprise, she hung up immediately. Eyeing the phone suspiciously, he snapped it closed before depositing it back in his pocket. She didn't sound like she usually did, which worried him more than he thought it would. _Looks like I'll need a taxi after all._

After finally flagging a taxi down for a ride, he sat in silence, antagonizing the entire trip. Miroku arrived at the hotel Avery was staying at, knots forming in his gut. Riding the elevator to the fifth floor, he found himself in front of her door. Taking a deep breath, his hand rose, freezing in the air. He knew he should have followed Inuyasha's advice and gone straight home. _But it's too late for that now._ There was something about Avery's tone. He tapped at the door with his knuckles and waited. The door opened a few seconds after. Avery wasn't in the revealing negligee she had worn last time he visited her, instead, she was dressed in a much more conservative shorts and loose t-shirt. A part of him was disappointed, but the smell of food wafted past his nose, instantly overwhelming any other thoughts.

"Come in," she said, stepping aside to let him pass. He didn't hesitate as he entered the room. His sights automatically locked to the various dishes resting on the table near the wide window. "Help yourself," she said behind him, closing the door.

Miroku was only a few steps away from the table when he realized none of the dishes had been touched. In fact, no one would order this much food without knowing company was coming. He looked over his shoulder as Avery approached. "You just ordered this, didn't you?"

"I had a feeling you would be hungry." Avery gestured to the seat across from her as she sat down. "Please, join me. We can talk after. I haven't eaten either."

Giving her a suspicious look, Miroku slowly sat in the other seat. His suspicion was soon replaced by hunger as the strong smell of garlic and other spices rose from the dishes laid out before him. The strange circumstances of tonight's meeting were temporarily forgotten as he filled his plate. It was strange eating in silence. Ever since Sango had moved in, it was rare for him to eat dinner alone. The silence at the table now was just another reminder of how much he had taken things with Sango for granted. _And here I am, doing the same stupid things that broke us apart in the first place._ Now that his grumbling stomach was silenced, his mind was free to focus on other things. Like why he was here.

Finally finished, Miroku set the silverware against his plate before looking over at Avery. She sat there, waiting patiently for him to finish. He cleared his throat, shifting comfortably in his seat. "So, what was it you needed to talk about?"

Sitting up in her seat, Avery folded her hands together before resting them against the table. "I believe I owe you an apology."

He cocked his head to the side, giving her a bemused smile. "An apology?"

She nodded. "I've caused both you and Sango a great deal of trouble. For that, I'm sorry."

"You don't need to apologize. Both Sango and I are adults. Everything that happened was consensual."

Avery suddenly looked uncomfortable as she diverted her gaze and fidgeted anxiously in her seat. "That… isn't quite right."

Miroku waved it off. "Sure, there was alcohol involved, but Sango isn't the type of woman to do stupid things just because she's drunk." He paused for a moment of thought, reliving a series of old memories of Sango drunk. "Okay, nothing _that_ stupid. What I'm trying to say is, if Sango truly didn't want to do it, she would have said no. It's as simple as that."

To his surprise, the statement only made Avery look _more_ uncomfortable. "There was more than alcohol involved with her decision."

"What?" Alarm filled his voice. For a split second, Miroku wondered if Sango had been slipped drugs. Continuing down that path, he wondered if _Avery_ had slipped Sango drugs. _If that's the case…_

"I'm afraid I haven't been completely truthful about my intentions here." To his bewildered look, she continued. "While it's true the VOX Corporation is interested in your company's software, I may have – influenced – their decision to choose yours over other companies."

"I don't understand." Miroku was completely at a loss. If she wasn't here for the software, what _was_ she here for? _To ruin my relationship with Sango?_ As laughable the idea was, it was the only one that fit with what she was trying to say. After all, it was the only thing she had done other than sign the contract. "Why pick us?"

"You weren't with the other companies."

At a loss for words, he floundered around a bit before finally getting words out. "I'm flattered but—"

Holding up her hand, she stopped him. "It's not like that, at least, not at first. I was given the task of finding a replacement for our aging software when I found your small company. Honestly, I was tempted to skip over you when—" She stopped suddenly. It was obvious she was trying to pick the next words carefully.

"When?" he pressed, leaning forward.

"I – got a feeling."

Miroku raised an eyebrow. "A feeling?"

"Yes. When I stumbled across your picture, I felt that I needed to look into things farther. The more I did, the more I was compelled to meet with you personally."

"So you picked our software… just so you could meet me? That's—" He couldn't pick the right word. _Odd? Insane? Creepy?_

"I know it sounds strange, but I have reason for following my feelings."

"And why's that?"

Avery took a deep breath before looking him in the eyes. "I'm a mage."

The room was deathly quiet for a long time before Miroku broke it with a soft snort. Gradually, he lost his composure, before breaking out into gut-wrenching laughter. Avery scowled in disapproval as he howled in laughter. "You're kidding right? A mage? You know how ridiculous that sounds?" Magic? Her? How could he _not_ laugh? Humans couldn't use magic, at least, not anymore. Thanks to the old Order book he had bought from Kagome's mother years ago, he knew most of the human's who could naturally use magic were hunted to near-extinction centuries ago. Those that survived went into hiding and gave up their practice, refusing to pass it onto the next generation.

"For someone with a half-demon and succubus as a friend, I'm surprised you dismiss my claim so readily."

_That_ got his attention. Suddenly quiet, he leaned forward as he glanced around nervously. "How do you know about that?" he whispered harshly, as if afraid someone was listening in.

Avery mimicked him. "Mage? Remember?" Setting back in her chair, she continued at normal volume. "Inuyasha was easy, I knew right away he was different. I had to work to find out about his 'wife.' But I guess it's not _too_ surprising you don't believe me. There aren't many humans with the affinity for magic. Those that use magic mostly cheat by contracting with demons." She crossed her arms. "But honestly, I was surprised when I met your friend Inuyasha. I didn't think there were any half-demons. I really had hoped…" She drifted off.

Miroku was still reeling from the fact Avery knew about Inuyasha and Kagome. When he finally recovered from the initial shock, he narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "What do you want?"

"Surprisingly enough: you."

"Me?" The revelation caught him off-guard. It wouldn't have surprised him if she needed something from Inuyasha or Kagome. Both were special in their own ways. Even Sango with her past experiences wouldn't have been unexpected. But him? Other than his fascination with the occult, he was the only one of the four that could be considered 'normal.'

Avery gave a curt nod. "Believe me I'm as surprised as you are. I figured I was being guided to either Inuyasha or his succubus partner. I see now that wasn't the case."

Miroku gave a quick glance towards the door. Could he escape if he needed to? If she _could_ use magic, it was highly unlikely. But escaping was the last thing he wanted to do at the moment. While the situation was unsettling, he didn't get the impression he was in any immediate danger. He had a newfound fascination with Avery that went beyond looks. If what she was saying was true, then she had information he wouldn't find anywhere else in the world. It was an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

"Why me?"

"Males capable of performing magic are rare. If I'm correct, which I know I am, you are what we've been looking for."

Miroku's jaw dropped. "Are you saying _I_ can use magic?" He had seen Kagome do magic before and knew the wondrous things you could do with it. He also knew enough from ancient texts to know what magic could do if used improperly. To think _he_ could use it was… unexpected. He didn't know _what_ to think about it.

Avery nodded once more. "That's correct. Part of the allure you feel towards the occult stems from your natural affinity for the art. To put it simply, your talent for magic is unconsciously seeking a way to be released."

Miroku sat in stunned silence, her words barely registering. "But… magic?" he said dumbly, eyeing his hands as if discovering them for the first time.

"In time, I'm sure they would have surfaced naturally due to your relationship with magical creatures. But that would have taken decades and you never would reach your full potential. Since I found you, we can change that."

"You can teach me?" Miroku asked excitedly, looking back at Avery.

"Human magic isn't taught, nor is it learned, at least not in a normal way." Avery tapped at her chin as she searched for the right words to explain. "I guess you could say it is unlocked. Letting it mature naturally would be like opening the floodgates on a dam. The water escapes, but in a small, controlled amount. What I can do is blow up the dam, releasing all the water at once."

"Cool," he whispered softly, nodding to himself. His mind no longer questioned if she was telling the truth or not. If it was some sort of scam, he had fallen for it. He couldn't help it. It was as if his entire _being_ held on to each word she spoke like it was the absolute truth. _But let's not get ahead of ourselves. There are so many questions I have to ask._

Before he could ask any, she held up her hand, stopping him. "I know you have a lot of questions, but many will be answered if I unlock your abilities. It's kind of like… remembering an old memory. Everything comes naturally. But if it isn't about magic directly, I can answer any questions you may have."

Miroku began sorting his thoughts. There was so much he wanted to know, so much to ask. It was hard deciding _what_ to ask. Part of him didn't even want to ask and just wanted to skip right to whatever had to happen to unlock his powers. "You mentioned male mages are rare?"

Avery nodded. "Currently, there are four hundred and sixteen mages including myself. All are female. The last male mage we had…" She searched her mind for a date. "Died about seven years ago."

"F-four hundred?" There were a great deal more than he expected.

"That's right. We stick together for the most part. Our two largest villages are in Canada near the US border and Russia."

"Are male mages more powerful or something? It sounds like you go through a great deal just to find one."

"I wouldn't say they're more powerful, but they are important. You will be able to do things I cannot. At the same time, I will be able to do things you cannot."

"So you do whatever it is you do to unlock my magical talent and I'll be able to use it just like that?"

"Yes and no. You'll be able to use and understand it right away, but more powerful things will come later."

Her answers were bringing more questions to mind. The more questions that formed, the more he had to push aside. Miroku wanted to ask her more, he _craved_ the knowledge she held inside her, but he knew there were more important things to discuss. As wonderful and exciting the idea of him being able to use magic was, Sango held greater importance to him than magic ever could. "And this thing with Sango…"

Avery had a pained expression on her face. "I knew things would come back to this."

"What exactly happened that night?"

Sighing, Avery nodded. "As I mentioned before, I thought Inuyasha was the one I was being guided to. However, I was rejected." Miroku caught a glimmer of disappointment in her expression before she continued. "That's when I started talking to you and Sango. At the time, I was at a complete loss. The entire time, I had been focused on Inuyasha and suddenly it turned into a dead-end. As we started talking, the more I was drawn to you and the more comfortable I became."

Miroku nodded slowly, remembering back to the conversation topics they shared. They had gotten personal quite quickly. "Here I thought it was due to the alcohol."

Avery smiled. "I'm sure that had a small part to play." The smile faded as she continued. "I began to realize that maybe _you_ were the reason I had been drawn here. I had no way of confirming it however. In order for me to do it with any accuracy, it has to be against bare skin and you have to be still for several minutes." She grinned. "Even if you were drunk, I doubted you would sit still while I drew on your arm."

Miroku chuckled softly. "No, I probably wouldn't have." With the mention of her drawing, he remembered what set human magic apart from demon magic. Humans had to draw runes in order to cast a spell. It was a severe handicap at times, but it did have advantages. One was permanency. So long as the rune survived, the spell did as well. This also meant a spell could be reused multiple times.

"Not to mention I have to keep a low profile. Even if the Order has all but collapsed, there are still things that dislike the idea of humans having power equal to their own." Avery's expression sobered. "Then you brought up how you and Sango once had a more… _open_ relationship."

"So _that's_ why you were so interested in it."

Her cheeks flushed slightly. "It wasn't the _only_ reason, but it was the primary one. Unfortunately, Sango made it _quite _clear those days were over."

Miroku frowned, scratching the top of his head. Things were a little fuzzy, but he clearly remembered Sango agreeing to it. "That's not how I remember it."

"I…fiddled with your memories of the night," she said as she braced herself for the reaction.

"You _what?_"

"It wasn't anything major, nor was it harmful," Avery said quickly. From her expression, she looked as if he was about to hit her. The fact that he _did_ want to hit her probably had a lot to do with it. "Because of who you are, I can't actually wipe your memories, only alter them slightly. Sango on the other hand… Human magic trumps demon when it comes to things of the mind. She has no memories of the night at all."

Miroku rubbed at his temples. _No _wonder_ everything's so messed up!_ That wasn't the worst of things. If she altered those memories, what stopped her from altering other things? For all he knew, the entire failed proposal could have been made up. _No, that really happened._ Something inside him knew Avery was telling the truth, however uncomfortable it was.

"So you cast a spell on us or something?" She nodded, not meeting his eyes. "Why didn't you just do the checking then? Surely going though all… _that_ could have been avoided."

"I told you before, finding out wasn't the only reason. I found," she shook her head before correcting herself. "I find you attractive and… uh… even though I'm totally not into women… Sango is… nice?" She was grasping at words. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath before opening them again. "When you're a mage, you become… accustomed to certain things. Mostly, when you want something, you can have it. Would some of the men I've had willingly cheat on their wives? Probably. Would all of them? Probably not." She hesitated before continuing, an embarrassed smile on her face. "Inuyasha appears to be immune to my spells regarding that. No doubt he has quite a resistance built up from his partner."

Miroku was horrified. "You tried that on _Inuyasha?!_ How…" He shook his head, pressing his hands against his temple. "_Why_ would you even do that?!" He was seeing Avery in a completely different light, no doubt her true self. Suddenly, she wasn't quite the alluring woman she had once been. _She destroyed my relationship with Sango for what? Because she wanted to try something new?_ If she had managed to seduce Inuyasha… He didn't want to think about _that._ Miroku had hope he could somehow salvage his relationship with Sango. Something told him things would be vastly different for Inuyasha.

Avery wore a sad smile on her face. "I don't expect you to understand, at least right now."

Miroku met her gaze. "No, I don't expect _ever_ to understand." He began to stand. "I want nothing to do with this – with you."

"Miroku, please!" she said, standing up with him. She reached over to grab his hand, but he quickly pulled it away. "Let me explain!"

"I don't _want_ you to explain." His thoughts focused on Sango. _I have to find her… tell her._ He ignored Avery's pleas as he walked towards the door.

"_Please_ listen to me!" she cried hysterically. "Your friends are in danger. We're _all_ in danger!"

Miroku froze, hand hovering over the doorknob. Turning slightly, he glanced over his shoulder at the panic-stricken woman. He knew he had no reason to believe anything she was saying, yet there was something about her words that struck deep inside him. Inuyasha wasn't acting like he normally did, which meant he was most likely involved in something that had to do with Kagome. From past stories, everything Kagome pulled him into got him in trouble. Still, he didn't want to blindly follow her every words, no matter how much he wanted to. "Why should I believe you?"

"I know you have no reason to, but you _have_ to trust me."

"Trust you? You destroyed the only real thing I cared about!"

Avery straightened, regaining some bit of pride. "I don't regret what I did."

"Goodbye," he said as he turned to leave.

"The same people who threaten your friend and his partner will kill Sango too. She's just as involved in all this as they are."

"Kill Sango?" He faced her once more. "What is she involved with?" Avery was silent. "Avery, tell me what's going on!" he said, taking a menacing step towards her.

His threatening posture evoked the opposite reaction. Instead of shrinking away, she stood taller, a defiant glimmer in her eye. "I'll tell you everything you want to know on one condition."

Miroku let the silence stretch before finally capitulating. "What is it?" he asked wearily.

"Let me perform the unlocking. With your powers, your friends may stand a chance."

He glared suspiciously at her. "I don't understand. What do you get out of it?"

Avery simply shrugged. "Does it matter?"

Miroku thought about it for some time, the minutes ticking past slowly as he tried to figure out how it would benefit her. As hard as he tried, he couldn't think of any reasons. It was a tempting offer, he could see that much, but he had no idea what worms lurked under the surface waiting for him to bite. _But I don't have a choice now do I?_ If Sango was in danger, he would do anything to protect her. It was the least he could do for her. "Fine," he answered reluctantly. "Let's get this over with."

She looked relieved. "Thank you."

Miroku thrust a finger towards her chest. "But you need to hold up your end of things. I want answers." She nodded excitedly. "Okay, so… what do we—" He stopped as her shorts fell to her feet. Her shirt shortly followed, leaving her standing nude before him. Frozen, his eyes wandered her nude form as he gaped speechlessly.

Frowning, she covered herself as if he had walked in on her. "W-what?" she flustered, face reddening. "It's not like this is the first time you've seen me like this."

"Why are you naked!?" he shouted, finding his voice again.

"Why do you think?" she spat back angrily. Forgetting her modesty, she placed her hands on her hips. "Do you want me to help you or not?"

Grudgingly, Miroku began undressing. "Is this really necessary?" From talking with Sango, he knew that most of Kagome's rituals dealt with sex, but that was expected from a succubus. _Does human magic work the same way?_ He didn't quite see how it could. What did sex have to do with runes?

Avery waited for him to finish undressing before answering. She took a step closer. He could feel her warmth radiating from her body as it hovered mere inches from his. "For me to unlock your powers?" Miroku simply nodded, eyes wandering over the large swells of her breasts. He hated himself, his body reacting to the naked woman before it. It was Avery who destroyed his relationship with the woman he loved and he _still_ wanted her. Closing the distance between them, the warmth of Avery's body climbed as she pressed herself against him. Hands on his shoulders, she craned her neck so her lips were against his ear, her hot breath brushing against his skin. Her voice was a sultry whisper. "No, it doesn't."

Thoughts of Sango retreated to the back of his mind as Avery pulled him onto the bed atop her. Anger fueled his every thrust. Avery didn't seem to mind the rough handling he gave her, quite the opposite. Her high-pitched squeals of pleasure urged him on, which only enraged him further. The last thing he wanted was her to enjoy it, yet there she was, crying out in ecstasy. He was furious at her, but not nearly as much as he was with himself. As much as he should hate the woman below him, he couldn't bring himself to do it. Just as he had the previous times, he enjoyed being with her. Her warmth as her legs pulled him closer to her, her voice as she cried out, the feeling of her nails against his back. It wasn't just the sex either. What allured him was the nature of the situation. To him, Avery was a person whom he should consider an enemy. Yet here he was, screwing her to both their enjoyment. Tonight, he had learned something important about himself and knowing made him sick. _I'm pretty messed up…_

Avery wasn't about to let him do all the work. After a quick wrestling match, Miroku found himself under her his eyes memorized by the bounce of her breasts as she ground herself against him. Hands against her sides for balance, he was vaguely aware of her finger against his chest. After a few seconds, he remembered the situation he was in. It was too late however. The rune she had traced out on his chest was complete. What felt like an invisible hand slammed against his chest, the air leaving his lungs in a huff. The last thing he saw was a sad look on Avery's face as she faded into darkness.

*******************

When Inuyasha awoke, it was much more graceful than his previous foray into the conscious world. Squinting his eyes against the light, his glanced around as his surroundings came into focus. It didn't take long for them to rest on a familiar face, one that wore a radiant smile.

"Good morning," Kagome said sweetly as she ran a hand over his forehead. "Feeling better?"

Opening his mouth to respond, he felt his lips crack. After working his mouth a few times, he managed to gasp 'water' out. Kagome disappeared from view for a second to reappear with a glass in hand. Helping him sit up, she gently tipped the clear liquid into his waiting mouth. Swallowing greedily, he didn't stop even as water slipped past his mouth and onto his bare chest. Once the glass was empty, he sat back, letting out a satisfied sigh. "Much better," he croaked out after a few seconds. He felt something bounce against the bed. Rolling his head away from Kagome, he found Yumi had climbed onto the bed, her brown eyes meeting his.

"Be careful. Daddy is still sick," Kagome warned.

"Are you feeling better Daddy?" Yumi asked sweetly, crawling towards him. Reaching out, she rested her small hand against his forehead. "You're not hot anymore!" she stated with a proud nod as she looked over at her mother. "Daddy isn't hot anymore!"

A smile forming, he rustled her hair. "Did you help Mommy?" She gave a big nod. "Thanks sweetie." He took a deep breath, looking back at Kagome. "Boy, I was really worried there for a moment."

"_You_ were worried? If you had—" Kagome caught herself, eyeing Yumi before continuing. "Well, you're getting better. That's all that matters now." Inuyasha grunted as he tried to pull himself up into a sitting position. "You need to rest still," Kagome protested as she pressed a hand against his chest.

Shaking his head, he pulled himself into a comfortable sitting position. Surprisingly, it wasn't as bad as he expected. As the grogginess from sleep left him, so did the fatigue. "I'm fine." He looked around. "How long was I out this time?"

"You slept through the night," Kagome answered, resting her hand against his arm. She was constantly in touch with him, like he would slip away if she let go.

Smiling, he reached over to rest his hand atop hers. She looked down in surprise, as if just noticing her hand was there. "I'm fine. Really." His stomach grumbled as a not-so-subtle reminder that he hadn't eaten in awhile. "Though breakfast sounds really good right now."

"What do you want?"

Inuyasha rested his head against the bed frame. "At this point? Anything edible." The awkwardness he expected wasn't there, not that he was complaining. He needed to keep things positive. Nodding, she moved to stand only to have him stop her. He caught a brief look of surprise as he pulled her down into a kiss. The surprise was quickly replaced as she returned his kiss. Several seconds elapsed before he reluctantly released her. "I love you," he whispered softly as they separated. It took a large amount of willpower to stop him from pulling her onto the bed and showing her just how much he did.

A look of guilt flashed over her features as she looked away. "I love you too," she choked out, fighting tears. "C-come on Yumi. Let's go fix Daddy some breakfast!"

"O-okay," Yumi said, confused as to why her mother was fighting back tears.

Inuyasha watched as the two left, Kagome closing the door behind her. Scratching his head, he tried to figure out the look of guilt Kagome had given him. Memories of Kikyo floated to the surface of his mind. No matter how much he tried, he couldn't bury them as quickly as they appeared._ If anyone should be guilty, it's me._

Fighting a losing battle, Inuyasha decided to focus his attention on something else. He ran a hand along his arm. "I need a shower," he muttered as he pulled the covers aside. Setting his feet against the floor, he cautiously rose to his feet. He felt… great. Better than great in fact. He felt like a teenager again. He resisted the urge to go out and run to burn off the excess energy he felt.

Still amazed by his sudden recovery, he shuffled into the bathroom as he eyed his hand in wonder. Last night, he had really slammed it into the wall, yet it felt perfectly fine. Turning the hot water of the shower on, he moved over to the mirror, gazing curiously at the figure before him. Turning sideways, he flexed slightly. _Is it just me or are there more muscles here than before?_ He almost laughed at the thought. Muscles didn't form overnight. Still, he hadn't seriously worked out since Yumi was born. Shaking the thought aside, he turned on the faucet. _Must be my imagination,_ he thought as he bent over, splashing cold water in his face. Turning the water off, he wiped the excess water from his face as he straightened. Looking back into the mirror, he found another man standing behind him. Yelling out in surprise, Inuyasha spun around, taking out all the items on the sink before slipping on the rug, slamming his head against the door before ungracefully landing on his back. Gritting his teeth from the pain, he slowly opened his eyes as he rubbed his head to see the man crouch down beside him.

"Graceful," he said with a dazzling white smile. Inuyasha had never seen the man before, nor had he any idea what he was doing in his bathroom, let alone how he had got there. Dressed in a grey suit with a red and white striped tie, the man had a professional air about him. Clear blue eyes watched him with curious amusement. Like Inuyasha, the mystery mans hair was platinum blonde.

"Who the fuck are you?" Inuyasha asked, recovering himself. "How did you get into my bathroom?" The man stood as Inuyasha climbed to his feet, clasping his hands in front of him to cover himself.

"_Our_ bathroom Inuyasha," the man said, looking around impressed. "I must say, our wife has a wonderful eye for décor."

"Kagome is _my_ wife," he growled. "You still haven't answered my questions!"

The man pressed his hand against his chest as he gave Inuyasha a hurt look. "You forget the man who saved your life so quickly? Inuyasha, I'm hurt!"

Inuyasha's expression twisted in confusion. "Saved my life?" Realization sunk in. "You're the demon! How did you get in here?!"

The man spread his arms out before him. "I'm here because _you're _here. We are one in the same. Your body is my body." Giving a disarming smile, the man took a step back. "Only you can see and hear me however."

Inuyasha felt his flesh crawl. The last thing he wanted was this. "Well go away. I freed you, didn't I?"

The man's smile turned sorrowful. "I would like nothing more than to leave. It seems like we will be roommates of a sort, at least for the time being." At Inuyasha's displeased glare, the man held his hands out before him as if protecting himself from an oncoming blow. "In time, I will be able to leave. Believe me I will stay no longer than absolutely necessary. You have my word."

"The word of a demon is worth less than shit."

"Come now… our arrangement can't be all bad can it? You can feel it, no? My – _our_ power? It is there. Just _look_ at you!" He gestured towards the mirror. Glancing over, Inuyasha gave himself another look. It _hadn't_ been his imagination. It wasn't that he _looked_ stronger, he _was_. "You can't say you are displeased with the results."

"I—" Inuyasha's words caught in his throat. He _wasn't_ displeased. He hadn't been in this good of shape since high school. Hell, even in high school he never reached this level. "I guess I can't."

"It is only beginning."

"What do you mean?" Inuyasha asked, glancing over his shoulder at the demon.

"My power, it has only just begun integrating itself with you. In a couple days you will be able to do things past even your wildest dreams."

Inuyasha looked back at his image in the mirror. He liked the sound of that. _Finally, I'll be able to _do_ something!_ He wouldn't need to rely on Kagome's protection any longer. Turning back to the demon, Inuyasha gave him a guarded smile. Even if he was playing nice now, Inuyasha had no doubt the demon had something planned. "Given we are going to be seeing more of each other, you have a name?"

"Ryuu," the demon said with a grin. "You may call me Ryuu."

*******************

After a hot shower and fresh clothes, Inuyasha felt a hundred times better. He wasn't the only one to notice his newfound vitality. Kagome gave him a curious look as he entered the kitchen, her eyes running over him. "You seem… lively." Her expression quickly turned to concern, her voice lower than normal. "Are you sure you should be up? You can eat in the bed."

Waving her concern aside, he approached, wrapping his arms around her as he pulled her into a kiss. He felt her body stiffen in surprise before melting to his impassioned kiss. Pulling away, she swayed slightly eyes fluttering as she gasped for breath. Grinning victoriously, Inuyasha steadied her. "I feel fantastic! The last thing I want is to go back to bed… unless a certain someone is with me."

Kagome's face reddened as she glanced anxiously at Yumi who sat at the table, watching the exchange curiously. "Inuyasha, Yumi…" she whispered softly, resting her hands gently against his chest to keep him at bay.

Following her gaze, Inuyasha smiled over at Yumi before turning his attention back to Kagome. The normal embarrassment and restraint around Yumi was completely absent. His mood was soaring, it seemed like nothing could crush the high he was feeling. _And it's about damn time too!_ With all the drama and stress the past several days had brought, he needed a pick-up. "What about her?" he asked, running a hand through Kagome's hair. "You said it yourself… she needs to learn somehow." The statement caught her by surprise. Feeling her guard drop, he moved in for another kiss. Tongue entwining hers, he quickly overwhelmed her resistance. She grew heavy in his arms, their heated kissing sapping her reluctance as she melted into him. Inuyasha was aware of Yumi's gaze, but stopping was the last thing on his mind. His desire for Kagome overwhelmed everything, sense and reason set to the wayside by the blind obsession that controlled him. He would have her here and now, and he was damned if anything would stop him.

Slamming her into the refrigerator, it shuttered violently as the things atop it clattered to the floor. Both fought for breath between kisses, her arms wrapping around his neck as his snaked up her light blue sweater. His cool hands felt the warmth of her body as they inched their way up her body, taking the sweater with it. Inuyasha turned his attention towards her neck, kissing it softly as his hands reached her chest. He felt a shiver run through Kagome as his chilled hands cupped her breasts. Her lack of bra only increased his desire. She let out a small moan as he bumped her against the refrigerator again, fingers running over her erect nipples. She moaned his name softly as his hands ran along her smooth skin before loosening her belt. The button and zipper followed shortly, her jeans slipping down her waist. Inuyasha was seconds away from fiddling with his own belt when a soft voice cut through the mist that had enveloped his mind.

"Are Mommy and Daddy playing a game?"

Inuyasha shot away from Kagome, holding his hands up like he had just been burned. Stumbling back, he tripped over a chair causing both him and the chair to nosily clatter to the floor. Dazed, the disheveled Kagome slid against the refrigerator as she collapsed to a sitting position, face flushed as she stared blankly into the distance. Reason returned like a slap to the face. Blinking rapidly, Inuyasha racked his brain trying to figure out what had gotten into him, into _both_ of them. Horrified, he scrambled to his feet, ignoring the pain in his leg. Had Yumi not spoken when she had… The situation that formed in his mind was too horrific to pursue further.

A single glance at Kagome told Inuyasha she wasn't going to come around for a few minutes. Not only had the experience been impromptu, it had been incredibly heated. "I need to take a walk," he said, slowly backing away. He had no idea what had come over him, but he knew that he needed to get away from Kagome before she recovered from her shock. He might have recovered his senses, but Kagome was a different story entirely. Coming down from this sort of stimulation would take some time. If he hung around for her to recover, she would undoubtedly attack him seeking release. They had been lucky the first time, who knew what would happen the second.

"Is Mommy okay?" Yumi asked, giving Inuyasha a curious glance.

Taking a few quick breaths to steady his racing heart, Inuyasha smiled as he moved to her side. Bending slightly so he was eye level with her, he rested his hand on her shoulder. "Mommy's fine. Can you do Daddy a favor? Can you watch Mommy for me?"

"What's wrong with her?" she asked, looking past him.

"She's just…" He glanced over his shoulder at Kagome before turning back to Yumi. "Really happy right now. So what do you say? Can you watch over her for me?"

Yumi didn't look happy. "I guess."

"What's wrong?" It was rare for Yumi to look so unhappy.

"I don't think Mommy is happy at all," she stated matter-of-factly, crossing her arms. Her brown eyes turned to meet his. It felt like she was peering into his inner self. He shifted uncomfortably. The feeling of being read didn't sit well with him.

Chuckling nervously, he couldn't help but look away from her piercing gaze. Instead, he focused on her forehead as he brushed a hand through her hair. "What makes you say that?"

"Daddy didn't finish the game. Mommy doesn't like when Daddy doesn't finish."

Flustered, Inuyasha pulled back slightly. "Did Mommy tell you that?" Yumi shook her head violently, her black hair tossing from side-to-side. It was obvious to him that there was something she was hiding. Looking down, Yumi pulled at the bottom of her shirt. He ran a hand across her cheek. "Can't you tell Daddy? Please?" She shook her head, staying silent. Smiling, he crept closer, keeping his voice soft. "You're not in trouble. Daddy just wants to know."

She stopped playing with her shirt, narrowing her eyes as she stared into his. "Daddy won't be mad?" Inuyasha shook his head. Yumi's hand shot up inches from his face, surprising him. "Daddy promises?"

"I promise, I won't be mad," he said as he took her offered pinky and shook it.

Yumi sighed, her body language shifting to that of someone much older than her. It was almost frightening to watch. "Mommy and Daddy play this game a lot. Mommy really likes playing it." Inuyasha stood in shocked silence, almost missing what Yumi said as she continued. "But when Mommy and Daddy start playing it and Daddy leaves, Mommy looks really sad. Mommy doesn't let Daddy see it though."

"I – we –" He stumbled over his words. Clamping his mouth shut, he decided it was better to just stay silent in this situation until he found something to say. _But how much does she know?_ A nauseating feeling crept over him, latching onto his gut. From the sound of it, she knew much more than he was comfortable with her knowing. Taking a deep breath, he shifted into a more comfortable pose. "Have you… have you seen Mommy and Daddy play? Before now?" A part of him didn't want to know the answer to this, but he knew it was something he had to ask. To his horror, Yumi nodded slowly. Squeezing his eyes closed, his head dropped. He felt… ashamed, like he had just introduced his daughter to something dirty. _What do I even say to this?_ He suddenly wished Kagome was... herself. He didn't want to be in this situation, but there was no running away from it this time and hiding things obviously didn't work. Still, he didn't want to do this alone.

Yumi must have picked up on his discomfort because her eyes widened in fright. "Mommy said I wasn't allowed to play but Mommy really likes playing it and – and – and." Fists balled, she rubbed at her eyes as tears formed, her voice breaking down into sniffles.

"Shh, you're not in trouble," Inuyasha said, wrapping his arms around Yumi and pulling her against his chest. "Daddy is just… surprised." He waited for her to calm down before releasing her. She stared at him with damp, slightly red eyes. He gave her a big smile, one she returned as she hiccupped softly. Gently, he wiped at her wet cheeks. _I need to think of where to start. How much do I tell her?_ Yumi was smart. She'd proved that countless times. He had no doubt she could handle anything he told her. Still, that didn't mean he was comfortable telling her everything. "It's called sex," he blurted suddenly. Even he was surprised by his mouths abrupt betrayal. "Err… the game we play," he said, trying to gracefully recover. "And it's just not Mommy and Daddy. All… uh… most adults… err… play it?" He had no idea why he made it sound like a question. It made him sound like he knew as much about it as his daughter. _This is turning out great._

Yumi stared at him, wide-eyed. "Do they all play sex as much as you do?"

Inuyasha wanted to cry as he hung his head. He knew what she meant, but she made it sound like they were constantly going at it. Resting his hands on her shoulders, Inuyasha took a deep breath. "Uh, you can just refer to it as 'the game' like you did before. And to answer your question, some people do, yes. There are others who don't play as much. Mommy and Daddy do it a lot because Mommy is… special."

"I see," she said, pulling at her bottom lip.

"Do you – do you have any questions?" he asked hesitantly. _Please Kagome! Wake up!_ He pleaded as he glanced back at her. She stirred slightly, but she still seemed off in her own world. Waking up and talking about sex wasn't going to help matters, but he would much rather deal with that than face Yumi's unending curiosity alone.

Pursing her lips, Yumi thought for a moment. "What is a…" She paused, fighting over the word. "'Three-some?'" she finished slowly.

Inuyasha felt like he had been hit by a truck. Completely unprepared, the mental shock froze him in place. "W-w-where did you hear _that_?" he finally spat out. He was expecting something like basic mechanics, not… _that._

Yumi shrunk away from his heated tone. "Mommy and Aunt Sango were talking about it," she said weakly. "Aunt Sango said—"

"No, no, that's okay. You don't have to say anything more," he said quickly. He scratched at the back of his neck. He didn't want to venture into that territory. The fact Yumi was able to connect it to the current conversation made him wonder what Kagome and Sango had been discussing._ Either that or Yumi knows far more than I think._ Both thoughts offered little comfort. "Don't you have any other questions… like how to play?"

"I already know how to play," she answered with a frown.

"Y-you do?" His voice cracked. "H-how? Did Mommy tell you?"

"No. Yumi figured it out," she boasted, puffing her chest out.

"Y-you did?"

She nodded happily. "I watched you and Mommy play."

"Ah…"

She continued before he could say more. "Mommy get's on top of Daddy and starts—"

"Ahh! Back up! Back up!" Inuyasha squealed, face turning pale. "L-let's talk about something else…"

Yumi cocked her head to the side, giving Inuyasha a perplexed look. "Then… what's a three-some?" she asked, returning to her original question. Suddenly, Inuyasha wondered if he had made the right decision to switch topics again.

"That's when three people have sex," Kagome said softly, causing Inuyasha to jump, twisting around to look at her. She brushed herself off as she pulled herself off the floor. She gave Inuyasha a curious look. "Really, this isn't the conversation I expected to wake to…"

Inuyasha chuckled nervously. "Not one I expected to get into either." Standing he moved closer to her. He noticed her eyes flash as he approached. For a second, he wondered if he was going to have to defend himself from her. Luckily, she seemed to resist the urge to pounce him. "Are you sure you should be telling her things like that?" he whispered.

"Why not?" Kagome asked as she stepped past him to take a seat next to Yumi. "If she wants to know, we should tell her." She smiled, resting an elbow on the table before propping her head up as she looked at Yumi. "Yumi can handle it. Right?"

"Right!" Yumi answered happily.

"Still…" Inuyasha said. _She might be able to handle it, but what about _me_?_ "D-do we have to do this now?"

Kagome whipped her head around to glare at him. He knew why she was angry. Inuyasha knew how it felt to be teased and then suddenly cut off from any sort of release. He could only imagine how frustrating it was for Kagome to experience it. "You've already started, so why not?" She pointed towards the seat on the other side of the table. "Sit." It wasn't a magic order where he blindly obeyed, but by the tone she used, it might as well have been. He darted over to the seat, folding his hands in his lap. Smiling contently, Kagome turned her attention back to Yumi, who was watching the two in fascination. "Now tell me… how much did Daddy tell you and how much do you already know?"

Inuyasha squirmed uncomfortably for the next ten minutes as Yumi displayed her knowledge of the subject with agonizing detail. He felt faint listening to Yumi talk about 'Mommy bouncing' and "bed squeaking.' Had it not been so deathly embarrassing, Inuyasha would have found Yumi's view of sex amusing. To her, the goal was to get the squeaking bed to thump the wall. Her reasoning? The more it hit the wall, the happier Kagome got. For Inuyasha, it only meant it was time to get a new bed, one that _he_ would pick. Kagome laughed before correcting her, giving both the normal, human reason and 'her' reason. That temporarily steered the conversation away from the topic of sex and on to succubi, one Inuyasha was grateful for, getting a small breather before Yumi inevitably brought the conversation back to its original topic.

"Does Mommy play sex with other people?" The question hit Inuyasha like a blow to the gut. To him, he felt like he had just boxed twelve rounds with the world champion. He wondered if he would have preferred that to this.

Kagome only smiled, taking the question in stride. "No, Mommy only does that with Daddy." Inuyasha glanced over at her as guilt cut into his gut like a dagger, twisting and pulling at him. Other than finding out Kikyo had made a full recovery, neither of them mentioned her and what… transpired between them. _Now is neither the time nor the place._ He continued to study his wife, as if he could somehow scry her innermost thoughts by simply staring at her long enough. Eventually, she noticed his stare and smiled brightly back at him. If there were unsettling thoughts about what had happened between Kikyo and him, she was hiding them well.

"But you said succubi—" Yumi pronounced 'succubi' slowly, ensuring she pronounced everything correctly.

Kagome answered her before she could finish her question. "Mommy is special. She loves Daddy so much that she married him! Most succubi don't do that." Reaching over, she ruffled Yumi's hair like Inuyasha normally did, causing her to giggle softly. "You'll understand when you grow up."

If Yumi's words were a punch to the gut, Kagome's was a freight train of guilt. All happiness and vigor he had left were drained from him with those words. He felt like trash, worse than trash. Unable to look at her, he mindlessly twisted the ring on his finger. To his surprise, Kagome's hand rested atop his, stopping his fidgeting. Looking up, he fought back tears as she tightened her grip on his hand. She flashed him a smile before turning her attention back to Yumi. Her hand however, remained on his. Pulling a hand out from under hers, he rested it atop hers, squeezing it back. It didn't absolve the burning guilt that ate at him, but it made it a miniscule more bearable.

The silent conversation between the two did not escape Yumi's gaze. Either she did not fully understand or she knew better to ask, Inuyasha was relieved when she remained silent, waiting for Kagome to turn her attention back to her before asking another question. With Kagome's hand firmly in his, the questions were no longer the ordeal they had been before. He even mustered the strength to answer a few on his own, much to Kagome's amusement. His explanations danced around the answer, to which Kagome promptly, and often bluntly, corrected. Still, she seemed overjoyed that Inuyasha was participating. The happiness she expressed rivaled the happiness she expressed the first time she held Yumi in her arms. Never in his wildest dreams did he expect to meet, let alone marry, a parent so enthusiastic about explaining the birds and the bees to their child. The conversation far exceeded the details Inuyasha got from his parents. The fact that Yumi was the one driving the conversation deeper into more explicit realms both frightened and thrilled him. Yumi was proving once more that her intellect and maturity exceeded far beyond her age. It was almost torturous for him to watch. His innocent little girl was aging ten years right before his eyes as she absorbed every bit of information they gave. Had Inuyasha been in charge of the conversation, he would have put on the brakes long ago. A couple questions after the basic mechanics were answered would have been a great stopping point. Even the most liberal parents wouldn't have gone this far. The more questions Yumi asked the more personal they became. Yet Kagome answered them all without the slightest hint of embarrassment or hesitation. It was actually a little envious. It was obvious Yumi and Kagome were bonding in a way he never could. It hurt seeing a connection he could never share form. Tightening his grip on Kagome's hand, Inuyasha focused back on the conversation.

"So threesomes are bad?" Yumi asked, her attention completely on her mother. She had given up asking him long ago. Inuyasha briefly contemplated if he had made the right decision to leave the relative bliss of ignorance his inner thoughts offered. _So we've circled back around to this again?_ Considering how much they talked about how it normally worked, he doubted there was much left on the topic they could talk about. _Leading them to this…_

"In the case of Uncle Miroku and Aunt Sango, then yes."

Yumi looked confused. "But they aren't married."

"No… but they are – were dating. When you date someone, it's like being married, but it's not as permanent. You understand?" _Finally! Something we can agree on!_ It was a small comfort Kagome was guiding Yumi to live more like her rather than someone like Kikyo. He didn't have anything personal against her sister; she did what she needed to do to survive. Still, the thought of his daughter acting the same disgusted him.

Gradually, Yumi nodded. "I think so." She was silent for a moment, thinking to herself. Her thoughtful expression disappeared as she moved on to her next question. "Has Mommy been in a threesome?"

It was one of the few times Kagome hesitated. For a brief second, Inuyasha thought she wasn't going to answer. To his dismay, she answered as soon as he finished the thought. "Yes." He noticed that she didn't look over at him, though he felt her hand tense below his.

Yumi worsened the situation by looking over at him with her wide, piercing eyes. "With Daddy?"

"No… not with Daddy." It was the first time since they started talking that Kagome looked uncomfortable.

"But—"

"This was before I married Daddy."

Yumi picked up the discomfort between the two. "So they _are_ bad!"

"I…" Inuyasha was surprised by how quickly and energetically Kagome reacted. Catching herself, Kagome turned a dark shade of red before continuing at her normal pace and volume. "Wouldn't say that…" Inuyasha stared over at Kagome in astonishment. _It seems there is more to discuss than I thought. _He wasn't looking forward to that conversation.

Sighing, Yumi crossed her arms, furrowing her brow as she slowly shook her head. "Confusing… so confusing." It seemed even Yumi had her limits. He was actually glad she had one. _She's going to be scary when she's older._ "Mommy, Daddy," she looked at each as she spoke their names. "Thank you, but I _really_ need to go think."

Both blinked in silent astonishment as their daughter slid from her chair and calmly left the room. Slowly, their heads turned, eyes meeting. "I need a walk," Inuyasha said suddenly, pulling his hand out from under hers.

"Inuyasha!" she called after him as he shot from the room. It wasn't fast enough however. Stopping at the doorframe, he turned his head slightly to let her know he was listening, unable to actually look at her. "We… we need to talk. About… things…" The situation was almost enough to make him laugh. For the past hour, she had been quite unabashed at explaining every little personal detail on what happened between them in the bedroom to their daughter yet she suddenly shied away from this. "Please," she added feebly.

"I know," he said, looking down at the floor. "But I really need a walk to clear my mind. I… I don't think I can handle another conversation like that; at least, not now."

"I understand," she said softly. "W-when can we…?"

"When I get back," he said, focusing his attention towards the door. He knew Kagome had a surprised look on her face. She hadn't been expecting it quite so quickly. "I have some things I need to tell you as well. I'll be back in a couple hours."

"Have a safe trip," she said, her voice sounding relieved.

Nodding, he headed towards the door, quickly pulling his shoes on and grabbing his nearby coat before exiting the apartment. Door closed behind him, he took a deep breath, the oppressive weight leaving his chest and shoulders. Never before had he felt so liberated. _I'm here to clear my mind, not run away._

"Our little girl's growing up!" Turning, Inuyasha found Ryuu leaning against the door, wiping a finger under his eye before flicking the tear away. "I must say, I don't think I've ever seen you under so much stress. A couple of times there, I didn't think you would make it." He laughed as he straightened, moving over to Inuyasha's side before nodding in approval. "But you did well. I'm proud of you."

Inuyasha's expression darkened. "She's _my_ little girl, not yours."

Ryuu smiled apologetically. "Right, right. You see, I've been with her ever since she's been born, just as you have. We've become so close over the years I get a little confused on what is what." He sighed deeply as he leaned against the rail overlooking the city. "I was there when Yumi was born. Remember it like it was yesterday in fact." Nodding, he continued. "I remember making love to Kagome under that waterfall in Hawaii. Oh my, then there was that night at Rio." He shook his head, grinning as he chuckled softly. "Kagome really set the bar that night, huh? London… Berlin… L.A… D.C… Moscow… I remember them all. Then there was our wedding." He sighed sweetly, lowering his head closer to his hands that rested against the railing. "That day was truly phenomenal."

Rage boiled inside Inuyasha as he glared at the apparition before him. "That was _me_. _I _was there when Yumi was born. _I_ made love to Kagome. It was _I_ who married her. _You_ had nothing to do with any of it! Understand. _Nothing!_"

Ryuu frowned. "Is that really true? I'm your other half. Without me, you would be dead just like I would be dead without you. One completes the other."

"No, this is _my_ body. You are the guest. I never wanted you."

"That may be the case, but you're certainly glad I'm here now, what with our family in trouble and all. You certainly couldn't protect them before." Clenching his fists, Inuyasha shook violently as he glared at the demon. "Surely you wouldn't want to go back to that pathetic state we were in before you released me. Not with people like Edward Small running around."

"You know him?"

Ryuu shrugged helplessly. "No more than you do I'm afraid. I _do_ understand he's dangerous, but I don't think I need to tell _you_ that." Inuyasha continued his glare, causing Ryuu to sigh helplessly. "Listen, I know you are unhappy, but I honestly can't do anything about it. Was it _my_ fault Naraku used you to summon me? No. Is it _my_ fault I feel, see, hear, taste and smell everything you do? No. Can you really blame me for getting so confused? I hope you can see that I'm just an innocent bystander in all this."

"_That_ I don't believe. Nothing about you is innocent."

"Not all demons are bad Inuyasha. I think Kagome is all the proof you need."

"Kagome's not a demon, at least, not the kind _you_ are."

Ryuu waved his hand in front of him. "Technicalities. A demon is still a demon. She can use demon magic, no? Sounds like a demon to me."

"I'm done talking. Go away. I left because I wanted time to sort things out, not for you to bug me."

Sighing, Ryuu shook his head dejectedly. "Fine. I understand you're untrusting now. I accept that. In time, I know you'll come around." With that, he was gone, vanishing as quickly as he appeared. Sighing in relief, Inuyasha set off for the stairs. He didn't know where exactly his walk would take him, but he did know where it would end and it was comforting to know Kagome and Yumi would be there waiting.

*******************

**Ah, it feels like forever since I wrote this chapter, so I don't know what to say about it. Gradually, I'm catching up with the chapters I have finished.**

**Thanks to those who have stuck around, I hope I can continue to entertain you in the chapters to come! As always, I appreciate everyone who takes the time to write a review. They really do help to motivate me to write more.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any characters associated with it. This story is rated for a mature audience.**

***Not edited. Will update later.**

*******************

A splitting headache was all that greeted Miroku when he awoke. From the sunlight that managed to creep in through the curtains, he could tell he had slept through the night. Sitting up in bed, he let the covers fall from his chest as he pressed against his temples. The motion made his head pound in a steady rhythm. Avery was nowhere to be found, her luggage was missing as well. _Shit… I fell right in her trap._ Judging from the amount of sunlight, she would be long gone by now. Scratching at his bare chest, he rolled out of bed and got to his feet. His headache wasn't getting any better, but it was well within his tolerance. Scratching his head, he slowly moved about the room, gathering his clothes. There was something off today, he could feel it. Avery told him she would unlock his magic ability and it would come to him naturally. Staring down at his hands, he tried to think, seeing if a spell or two came to mind. After several minutes of nothing, he sighed, shoulders sagging. He could tell there was something hanging just outside his consciousness, but the more he tired to think of it, the more it eluded him.

_Sango!_ In thinking about the previous night, all the memories suddenly rushed back. Miroku needed to talk to Sango, explain to her everything that had happened. _Maybe… if I can convince her it's true…_ This was his best chance to repair things with her and he wasn't about to let it slip away. Quickly sliding his legs into his pants, he was in the process of sliding them up when the idea of a shower and a change of clothes came to mind. Confronting Sango about their relationship smelling of sex wouldn't end well. Throwing his pants aside, he rushed the bathroom. Engrossed in planning what he would tell her, he completely missed the small silver rune against his shoulder as it glowed softly before disappearing.

*******************

Sango was miserable. She hadn't left her hotel room in days, spending her days sitting on the bed, staring blankly at the TV. In the end, she had taken the man's money, using it to pay for the room and room service. Naraku, or the demon that looked like him, hadn't appeared since that time. Her feelings were mixed. She wanted it to return so she could fulfill her end of the agreement. On the other hand, she knew what she would have to do when it finally did return. It just felt like everything had gone to hell and she had been left alone to face it by herself. Several times, she was tempted to call Kagome, but the last thing she wanted was to burden her. When she left for the hotel, Kagome had her own problems she was dealing with.

_Maybe if I just call to see how she's doing…_ Sango had barely finished the thought when there was a knock at the door, causing her to jump. Frowning, she got off the bed and moved towards the door. She hadn't ordered room service yet and the only one who knew where she was staying was Kagome. The thought of seeing her friend again lifted her spirits as she opening the door, a wide smile on her face.

"Kago—" Sango froze in alarm when she found it wasn't Kagome that stood at her door, but Miroku. He was half a second faster than she was, wedging his foot and hands between the door as she closed it. He yelped in pain, but didn't move them.

"Wait! Sango wait! Just listen to me!" he said, struggling to keep pressure off his hands and foot by pressing against the door.

"No! I don't want talk to you!" Sango wailed, trying to keep her emotions from overwhelming her as she leaned against the door, preventing him from opening it any more.

"You don't have to talk, just listen!"

"What part of 'no' don't you understand!?" To make her point, she leaned into the door, squeezing the door harder against his hands and foot. He groaned in pain, but remained in place.

"You're either going to have to let me in, or cut my hands and foot off because I'm not letting you shut this door," he hissed through clenched teeth. For several seconds, she looked around trying to find something sharp. Miroku knew what the long pause meant. "Hey now, you can't be serious!"

"Just leave me alone Miroku. It's over between us, remember?" The words hurt a lot more than she thought they would. It felt like someone had ground their boot heel into her stomach.

"That's what I want to talk to you about! Things aren't as they seem. Please, I just want to explain what really happened that night!" For a second, Sango considered letting him in. She _was_ curious about what happened. Her memories of the night still eluded her. During that time, she relaxed her guard just a little. Miroku leapt at the chance. Thrusting against the door, he bowled Sango over. Unbalanced, he tripped over himself, falling atop her. Her breath left her in a loud 'oof' as he landed.

It took her a few seconds, but she finally caught her breath again. "Get off," she growled angrily, pushing him off her. There was a small sense of satisfaction as she managed to drive a knee into his crotch as she did so.

"Listen, Sango…" he began, voice strained as he grabbed himself.

Getting to her feet, she closed the door. _Since he's already in I might as well listen. _If he put up that much fight trying to get _in_, she could only imagine how hard he would resist her efforts to kick him out. Not to say she couldn't do it, but she didn't want to hurt him, at least not physically. As much as she hated him for his behavior the past several days, she still loved him. Whether that was a good or bad thing was still to be seen. Glowering down at him, she purposefully stepped over him, leaving him clutch himself as she moved back over to the bed. "Make it quick."

"T-thank you," he forced out, getting to his feet. "It's about that night."

"What night are you talking about?" she asked, crossing her arms as she sat on the bed. He shifted uncomfortably. She knew it was mean of her to torture him like this, but the urge for a little revenge was too strong.

"The uh… night we both… uh… with Avery…" he sputtered.

"Oh yes, _that_ night. What about it?" She kept her face and voice emotionless. From his body language, she could tell he wanted her to be angry with him. He had mentally prepared himself for that. Not being able to tell what she was feeling wasn't something he planned for. Miroku was a fairly straightforward and simple guy and was easy for her to read. _Maybe that's why I like him so much._

"We… we weren't… in the right state of mind."

"Yes, alcohol does do that to people."

Miroku shook his head. "No, it wasn't the alcohol. Well, it was a little, but there was something else as well." He scratched his head, trying to find the right words to say. "How do I say it? Uh… there was magic involved."

Sango frowned. "Magic?"

He nodded. "Yeah, that's why you don't remember anything. She wiped your memories and altered mine."

"'She?'"

"Avery. She's a mage."

_This is his excuse? _This_ is what he comes up with?_ "Miroku…"

"I'm telling the truth!" he said, quickly cutting her off. "You have to believe me! You and I told her 'no' so she used magic to get her way!"

"Out of all the excuses…" She shook her head. "If you're going to make up a story, at least put _some_ effort into it."

"But this _isn't_ a story!"

Sango had to fight to keep tears from her eyes. "If you simply apologized… If you told me it wouldn't happen again… even if you were lying…" She took a deep breath, steeling herself. "But making up some story about how Avery was a mage? A _mage_ Miroku?! Human's can't use magic."

"They weren't completely wiped out. Some survived and are living in secret, just like demons are."

"Miroku, just stop."

"Out of all the people in the world, out of all you have seen… how can you simply dismiss this?! I'm telling the _truth_ Sango. What possible purpose could I have if I made all this up? Even _I_ have trouble believing it, but I do because that's what really happened."

Sango was at a loss for words. There really was no reason why he would make up such a farfetched story. If he really wanted to mend their relationship, he could have simply told her they had too much to drink and made a dumb decision. If he had told her that, she would have accepted it and they could work on getting things back to how they were. She _wanted_ things to go back to how they were, but she couldn't get back together with him unless he made _some_ effort to justify things.

"I slept with another guy," Sango announced suddenly. The sudden revelation surprised her. There was no reason for her to tell him only that it had suddenly come out. _That should pretty much end things._

"So?" There was no shocked surprise or hurt look, only a slight bewilderment of how the conversation had jumped tracks.

"So…" _So what? What am I supposed to say to _that_?_ Sango didn't know whether she should be angry or upset with his seemingly uncaring attitude. "I…"

"It's not the first time you've done it."

_That_ made her angry. "What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

"What? I'm just saying it wouldn't be the first time. Besides, we weren't technically seeing each other the past couple days."

"'Weren't?' I don't remember us getting back together."

"You mean we're not?" He sounded genuinely surprised.

"No!"

He was silent for awhile. Taking a deep breath, he released it slowly. "Sango, I want you to answer honestly. Is all this really because I had sex with Avery?"

There was a slight pause before she answered. "No," she said as she lowered her head slightly. "Not completely," she added quickly. It played a part in things, just not as much.

Miroku seemed to expect that answer. "That's what I thought. Now the question is, _why_ are you angry?"

"I—" She stopped quickly. For that brief instant, her guard had slipped. Clamping her mouth shut, she stopped herself.

Miroku let out a weary sigh. He knew just how close she had been to opening up. "Sango, I'm trying here, I really am. I think it's obvious I'm not perfect and I don't expect you to be either. Just… whatever it is, I want to help." He grinned. "Both our track records aren't exactly shining examples for future generations to follow." Turning serious again, he continued. "I know you've had a violent past and I understand you don't want to talk about it, but whatever it is that's bothering you, I can help."

Sango shook her head. "This isn't something you can help me with. I have to do it alone."

"Maybe, but you don't have to do it alone. Even if I can't physically help, I can always support you from the sidelines, right?"

Sitting on the bed, she stared at Miroku. Inside, her feelings warred with each other. She desperately to tell him everything she had been fighting with since he first proposed to her, what she still needed to do. If she told him everything, they could begin picking up the pieces and start a new, stronger relationship. _If he doesn't leave me first…_ Miroku was abnormal when it came to relationships, perfect since she wasn't exactly a model case either. His abnormality had its limits however. There undoubtedly was a line that she could cross. She had no idea where exactly it was and dreaded the thought of crossing it. A guy here and there was something he could handle, but having another man's child? Just thinking about his reaction sent her stomach in knots. In the end, she realized she was left with only two options. She could tell him and _maybe_ he would leave or she could _not_ tell him and then he _would_ leave. Both were shitty options, but some chance was better than no chance.

She nodded. "Alright, I'll tell you. I'll tell you everything." She gestured to the bed beside her. "You might want to take a seat. This is going to take awhile." Silently, he moved over to the bed and slowly took a seat. "Are you sure about this? It's not very pretty."

He took a few seconds to prepare himself, but nodded. "I'm ready."

Taking a deep breath, Sango began talking.

*******************

Hands in his pockets, Inuyasha wandered aimlessly around the city. Even without purpose, he walked, calmly taking in the sites. When the jostling of the busy sidewalks became too distracting, he found himself in the park he took Yumi to play in. In the distance, he watched a few children play on the playground, their mothers huddled together in groups, lively chatting to one another. Several joggers passed as he stood motionlessly, staring into the distance. He did notice a few passersby give him odd looks, but none seemed too concerned with his presence. Inuyasha seemed immune to the passage of time as he just stood, looking, watching. It occurred to him that sometime during his silent observation, the people at the playground had been replaced by new mothers and children. _I left the house to think things out and here I am, not even thinking about anything!_ Shaking his head, he started walking again, this time, with a destination in mind. His stomach growled as thoughts of food filled his head.

"About time you realize we need food," a faceless voice complained. A few seconds later, Ryuu appeared, his arms crossed and an unhappy expression on his face. "I'm starving here!"

"What did I tell you?" Inuyasha growled, looking around frantically to make sure no one was looking in his direction. Even if he was the only one who could see Ryuu, people would notice him talking to himself. "Go away."

"Hey, you wanted some space, I gave you space. But if you think I'm just going to be a passenger in this relationship, you're wrong."

"I'm not going to have this conversation with you here," Inuyasha hissed, keeping his voice low.

"You know you don't have to talk right? I can hear your thoughts just fine." Inuyasha had enough problems sorting through the clutter of his mind. Trying to have a conversation in his mind when he was so used to speaking aloud would be difficult at best. Ryuu seemed to understand that as well. "And if you don't want to do that, you have our cell phone right?" Inuyasha knew what Ryuu expected him to do. Reluctantly, Inuyasha took out the cell phone and turned the ringer off before holding it up to his ear. Even though he didn't want to talk to Ryuu, he had no idea how to get rid of him. _If I can get rid of him at all._ "Nope, you're stuck with me," Ryuu answered.

"I didn't ask."

"But you _thought_ it. It's my mind too remember?"

"How could I possibly forget with you reminding me every time you open your mouth?"

"Well if you stopped resisting and just accept things as they are, it would do wonders to relieve that excess stress that's been building up the past week." Ryuu shook his head slowly as he kept pace beside Inuyasha. "This can't be good for our health."

"_My_ health, it's—"

"Your body, yes I know," Ryuu said, finishing his sentence for him. "But that isn't completely true now is it?"

Inuyasha was silent for a moment. Since Ryuu had no body of his own, technically, it _was_ his body, even if Inuyasha was the one to control it. "Until I can figure out a way to remove you, I guess you are."

"Believe me, as soon as I find a way to get out of you, I'll let you know." Ryuu gave him a guilty look. "Not that I don't enjoy sharing your body. Err, no wait; that came out wrong. Your body is great… No… Well, you get what I'm trying to say right?"

Inuyasha glanced over at him, uncomfortable. "Yeah, sure."

Ryuu began sniffing the air. "What is that smell?"

Inuyasha sniffed at the air as well. Instantly, his mouth watered as his stomach rumbled in anticipation. Something smelled good. "I don't know, but it smells good."

Raising an eyebrow, Ryuu gave Inuyasha a sidelong look. "You thinking what I'm thinking? What am I talking about? Of course you are! Come on, what are we waiting for! Onward!" he shouted, pointing the way as he disappeared in the direction the smell was coming from. With a sigh, Inuyasha turned and followed. The reality that Ryuu really wasn't going anywhere was slowly starting to sink in. It was yet another thing he was going to have to adapt to. _Like I don't have enough on my plate as it is…_

*******************

Dante awoke to blackness. It took a second for his mind to realize his lungs were burning. Opening his mouth, he gasped for air, only to suck water into his lungs. Flailing wildly, he clawed at the water surrounding him in an attempt to surface. The more he struggled, the more tired he became. Gradually, his frantic movements ceased as his eyes grew heavy.

Once more, he awoke to find himself trapped in the blackness. His hands cut through the water as he kicked with all his might. Still, despite all his struggles, he found himself unable to move. Patting himself, he found thick ropes wrapped around him. Pulling at them, he felt his strength leave him and he grew still once more.

_Okay, this is getting ridiculous._ How much time had passed? How many times had he died? Panic no longer took him when he awoke from his 'death.' He simply started where he left off, trying to loosen the ropes that bound him enough to slip out. _I wish I had a light or something. What the hell is holding me down?_ Using his hands to push up at the water, he sunk down until he hit the bottom of whatever body of water he was in. Grabbing the rope to hold himself down, he blindly patted around him, his hands hitting something hard. He had no idea what it was that the rope was attached to, but it was metal.

Waking again, Dante focused back on trying to free himself. _This fucking sucks!_ He had always thought of his power as a gift. If not for it, he wouldn't have made it this far. It had been fun believing that he was immortal. Now, he wanted nothing more _but_ to die. The notion that he was going to spend the next several decades like this was… unappealing. A chill that had nothing to do with the ice-cold water ran over his body. _If I age normally._ For all he knew, he really _was_ immortal. It was obvious that normal things couldn't kill him, but the idea that _time_ couldn't kill him either? _That_ was scary. _Especially if I have to spend all of it down here._

Another death, another revival. Somewhere along the line, he decided to take a break. When he woke up next, he just floated there, waiting for his consciousness to slip. Sometimes, he counted, trying to see how long it took for him to die. To his surprise, the number changed each time. At least, he thought it did. The mind did funny things when it was dying.

After a dozen or so 'deaths' he was back at work. During one particularly frantic struggle, he dislocated his arm. Pain jabbed through his right side. Had there been any air to do so, he would have yelled out. However, he did notice that the rope slackened somewhat. Hope surged through him, but before he could do anything more, his mind slowly drifted out.

Snapping back, Dante found the pain had vanished. Squirming, he discovered his arm had magically popped back into place. _You got to be fucking kidding me!_ He spent the rest of his time cursing and squirming in rage.

It took two more 'deaths' to figure out how to dislocate his arm, another three to perfect the process. Five more and he had managed to work out of some of the rope. With an exuberated feeling, he pulled at the rope before pushing it off him. _I'm free! I'm fucking free!_ Clawing at the water, he felt himself rise only to suddenly stop as something tightened against his legs, stopping his accent. _You're fucking kidding me…_

Freeing his feet was much simpler now that he had free rein with his hands. Still, it took time and he was none too pleased with the delay. Dante wasn't quite sure what happened, only that one moment, he was tugging at the rope, the next, he was floating face down on the surface. Slapping the water, he lifted his head above water and took a deep gulp of air. It was the sweetest breath of his life. Treading water, he sat there, sucking down air by the lung full. Suddenly, he began laughing. There was no reason for it, only he felt the uncontrollable urge to laugh. Several times, his laughter was cut off by a mouth full of water, but he continued none the less.

"I did it! Sonovabitch I _did_ it!" Laughter fading, Dante started towards the riverbank. Either Erik botched the job or he really _was_ immortal. Judging by the way he had been tied up, he guessed the latter.

As he pulled himself out of the water onto solid ground, he forced himself to be calm. The last thing he needed was it to go to his head. If he really couldn't die, he would have to be _more_ careful, not less. _So I survived this. I got lucky. Next time, they might just encase me in concrete. What then?_ The thought made him shiver. This had been a horrific experience. He couldn't begin to fathom the hell a concrete tomb would be.

Climbing to his feet, he shook off as much water as he could. Taking one last deep breath, he started off towards the city, shoes sloshing ominously with each step. He was alive, he was pissed, and soon, there would be a lot of others who wouldn't be.

*******************

Miroku sat in stunned silence, absorbing Sango's every word. He knew that her problems were larger than his ever would be, but he had definitely underestimated just how great a burden she carried. It was overwhelming, and he wasn't even the one carrying it.

"That's about everything," Sango said slowly, taking a moment to think it over. Biting her lower lip, she gave Miroku a cautious glance. "Well?"

"Well…" He took a deep breath. There was a lot to digest and she wanted an answer now? Miroku was tempted to tell her he needed time to sort through everything, but a single look told him that wouldn't do. She wanted – needed an answer now. "I can't believe you could use magic all this time. That would have come in handy when we were late on our bills a couple months ago."

By her frown, she wasn't in the mood for jokes. "Miroku…"

"I know, I know. It's just that this is all… overwhelming." He paused to collect his thoughts. "But I don't understand why you didn't tell me this before. When I proposed, I thought you rejected me because you didn't want to get married."

"No!" she said quickly. "I wanted to more than anything but… If we did, it would only put you in danger."

"Still, you could have told me."

"I know, and I should have. I was scared. I thought if you knew, you would leave." She looked down, twirling her thumbs in her lap. "I'm sorry."

Taking a deep breath, Miroku slapped his hands against his legs. "Well, I guess that's that." Sango looked at him with wide eyes. "We just don't get married."

"Eh?" The surprise was apparent on her face.

"If we don't get married, we don't have to worry about any of that." Miroku nodded to himself, satisfied with his reasoning. "Lots of people choose not to get married these days. We've been living together six months and not counting Avery, seeing only each other. We might as well be married already."

Sango's expression didn't change into the happy one he expected, rather, she looked towards the floor once more, a morose look on her face. "That might not be possible now…"

"Not possible?" Miroku scratched his head in confusion. "But we were doing it before. All we have to do is go back to it."

Shaking her head, she glanced over at him. "I… made a deal." His head tilted in bewilderment. "With the demon," she clarified quickly. "In exchange for my freedom, I have to provide… a body for it."

A horrified expression crossed Miroku's face. "It's going to possess you?"

"Oh no," she corrected quickly. "It won't be my body." She shifted uncomfortably, her eyes avoiding his as she rested her hands against her stomach.

It took him several seconds for him to follow her train of thought, but his eyes popped open as he leapt back. "You're—!"

"No!" she said quickly. Miroku let out a long sigh of relief. Kids might be nice someday far, far in the future. Now, he was nowhere near being ready to be a father. _I still have growing up to do._ The entire situation between him and Sango proved that _both_ had work to do. Besides, it wouldn't be a kid, but a tool for a demon to cross into the mortal realm. Being an occult fanatic, he knew about demon lore. The demons in the demon realm were kept out of the mortal realm for a reason. "Not yet," she added ominously.

Miroku blinked as her words sunk in. "You can't be serious… You're going to go through with it?"

She shrugged helplessly. "I don't think I have a choice. Not anymore."

He rested his hand on her shoulder. "Sango, you always have a choice."

Her head shook sadly. "Not for this. I made a contract that I would do it."

Miroku was silent for several seconds. "Well _I_ don't like this. There is no way I would let my first kid be some possessed demon." Sango shifted uncomfortably on the bed, her eyes everywhere but where he was sitting. "What? What is it?" He could tell something was bothering her, something that was troubling her more than anything else she had told him earlier.

Tears began to form, threatening to spill out as she finally managed to meet his eyes. "It… wouldn't be yours." Miroku sat on the bed, stunned as his mouth worked silently in shock. "When I was in contact with the demon, it told me it would pick the man."

It took Miroku awhile for his mind to get things moving again. _Sango… having another man's baby?_ He didn't know how to feel about that. He knew how he _should_ feel. He knew he should be enraged, hurt and miserable that Sango could even consider something of this magnitude – at least without some sort of discussion with him first. Yet as much as he acknowledged how he _should_ feel, there was something inside him that prevented the emotions from forming. It felt as if he had some unconscious understanding of the situation, but any attempt to pull that information from his mind only resulted in burying it deeper. There was one thing he _did_ know, and it hurt like hell thinking about it. It wasn't that she seemed dead-set on doing it; it was that she had every intention of doing it without telling him.

"I'm sorry Miroku," Sango continued, her voice quivering as she spoke. "If only I had thought things over. It was an emotional moment and I wasn't thinking clearly. I was so stupid and rushed into things…"

"I'm not mad about that," he said calmly. He suddenly felt odd, as if he had suddenly become an observer in the situation.

"You're not?" She sounded surprised.

"No," he answered. In truth, he wasn't. If it meant she would be free of the burden she had been carrying so long, he could accept it. Going through with it would bring her happiness and he wasn't a selfish bastard who would deny her that happiness she more than deserved.

"But you are mad… aren't you?" Sango asked cautiously.

"Yes," he said, voice lower than before. "I can't believe you would have gone through with it without telling me first. Do I mean that little to you?"

"What did you expect me to do? We weren't speaking at the time. Our relationship was, and still is, in pieces. Think to yourself, what would you have done if I came and told you all this?" Miroku opened his mouth to answer before closing it again. In this situation it was probably best to keep silent. _I am here to repair the relationship, not pour more fuel on the fire._ "That's what I thought."

Shifting on the bed to face her, Miroku took a deep breath, trying to squelch his raging emotions. _I need to change direction before things get really bad._ "Okay… so any idea on who this guy will be?"

The sudden shift caught Sango by surprise, her anger vaporizing. "Uh… no he didn't say…" Furrowing her eyebrows, she stared at him. "But that's it? You're not going to try to talk me out of it or anything?"

He sighed. "Is that even possible?"

She thought for a moment. "No, probably not."

"Then I won't waste our time. If this is what you think is best, then I will support you. I said I would." He forced a grin. "Besides, I think you have more experience with these sorts of things."

Jaw quivering, she suddenly wrapped him in a hug, squeezing him tightly. Slowly, he returned it. "Thank you… thank you so much," she whispered. "I know I'm asking a lot from you and I don't deserve this kind of treatment—"

"No, you _do_ deserve this," Miroku said, pulling away so he could met her eyes. "This entire time, you've been dragging the weight of your past around with you. I think it's time you finally shed that dead weight. Once this is over, once it's _all_ over, we can start over. A fresh start, for both of us, okay?"

Tears ran down her face as she nodded, a smile spreading across her face as she wiped them away. Wrapping him in another hug, Miroku fought to keep his anxiety from overwhelming him. Worry gnawed at his gut as he pulled her tighter against him. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't shake the feeling that they had both become involved in something much larger than just them.

"By the way," she whispered softly, pulling away to give him a puzzled look. "How did you find me here? Only Kagome knows where I went and I told her not to tell you where I was."

Miroku scratched his chin. "Huh… Now that I think about it… I have no idea." Rubbing his chin, he backtracked through his frantic dash from the hotel Avery had left him in to here. The more he replayed it, the more he realized he hadn't done _any_ searching. He just… came here. "All I can say is that I wanted to talk to you. The next thing I really remember is knocking on your door."

Sango raised an eyebrow as she stared at him with tear stricken eyes. "You knew where I was? Just like that?"

He shifted uncomfortably. "Yeah… I guess."

She shook her head slowly, a small grin appearing. "I understand. You got Inuyasha to tell you." She held up a hand, stopping him from saying any more. "It's fine. It's in the past. I'm tired of the past. I want to focus on the future now – our – future."

Miroku only nodded in agreement. As Sango wrapped him in another hug, Miroku felt his heart pound in his chest. _How _did_ I find her?_ For him, the answer was as frightening as not knowing at all.

*******************

"That was great!" Ryuu said happily as he patted his stomach. Inuyasha felt the same way, but keep himself composed. "Nothing like a good bowl of Ramen on a cool day like this."

"You didn't even eat anything," Inuyasha muttered under his breath. Technically, he had done all the work. However, that didn't stop Ryuu from pretending. Through the entire course of the meal, Inuyasha had to watch Ryuu mimic his every move as he sat across from him, eating from an illusionary bowl identical to the one Inuyasha had. Every movement, every slurp had been perfectly copied by his mental roommate.

Ryuu seemed upset at the statement. "I did too!" he cried indignantly. "You saw me."

"Yes, but it wasn't real. I had to _pay_ for mine."

"That doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it any less than you." Inuyasha only shook his head. He was starting to learn to ignore it when Ryuu started talking like that. He knew a lost cause when he saw it. "So where are we going now?" Ryuu asked excitedly, eyeing a pretty redheaded foreigner as she passed.

"Home," Inuyasha said, keeping his voice low. The sidewalk was busy enough that the casual observer would figure he was talking to someone beside him.

"Hmm…" Ryuu hummed as he stroked his chin.

"What now?"

"Oh, nothing. I was just wondering if that's such a good idea."

"Why wouldn't it? It's getting late," Inuyasha said, looking up. It was noticeably darker than it had been going into the Ramen shop.

"Well, you left to think about things. Have you really thought about them?"

"Of course!"

"Really? You do know I was there the _entire_ time. Trust me, there wasn't a lot of thinking going on," he said, nodding sagely.

"Why do you care?"

Ryuu gave him a hurt expression. "Why _wouldn't_ I care? I want things to work out between us and Kagome. You and Kagome," he corrected quickly.

"Well don't, I have things under control."

"Really? It looks like you're just running away from your problems." Inuyasha stopped walking to glare at Ryuu. "What? I'm just saying…"

Shoulders sagging, Inuyasha let out a ragged breath and continued walking. In a way, Ryuu was right. He _had_ gone on this walk to escape, even if he had every intention of returning. "And? What do you suggest?"

Ryuu shrugged. "Hey man, it's not my life." Inuyasha didn't stop, but he still cast a glare over in Ryuu's direction. Unfortunately, there was a middle-aged balding man beside Ryuu, who quickly scuttled away thinking the glare was meant for him. "What? You keep telling me that yourself."

"Funny how that works."

"I didn't mean it like that. What I mean is I have no control over it. I'm just a passenger along for the ride, no matter how much I want to drive." There was a slight pause before he continued. "But we can talk about it if you want."

"Why would I want to do that?"

"There are a number of reasons. One, I know the situation. I was there after all. Two, I can't talk to anyone about it, so you can tell me anything you want knowing that it will remain a secret. Three, I know how you feel about it, even if you deny those feelings. Need I go on?"

"No, I see your point."

"And? Where do you want to start?"

Inuyasha looked around uncomfortably. No one was paying him any attention. Most just shot past him. Everyone seemed like they were in such a hurry to get where they were going, unlike him. "I don't know."

"Okay then, I'll start. Yumi's a smart kid, isn't she?"

"Almost too smart."

"You say it like it's a bad thing."

"Every parent hopes their kid is smarter than they are."

"Not hard considering the father. Sorry," he added at Inuyasha's glare. "Continue."

"I just feel, well, sorry for her. It's like she's missing out on a childhood."

Ryuu rubbed his chin as he hummed. "Yes, but you have to remember that succubi are different than human's, so putting your idea of what a childhood should be… She seems happy enough, right? Isn't that all that matters?"

"I just wish I could do more."

"All parents feel that way."

Inuyasha frowned, shooting Ryuu a sideways glance. "How do you know?"

Ryuu frowned as he shrugged. "Beats me. It just sounded right."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Wow, this is helping."

"Hey now, don't be like that. It _is_ helping. You're facing your problems instead of running away. Now, about Kikyo…"

"I don't want to talk about that," Inuyasha said quickly.

"You need to get used to talking about it. I have a feeling there will be quite a lengthy discussion about it with the wife when we get home."

"All the more reason not to talk about it with you."

Ryuu sighed unhappily. "Fair enough." He smiled. "Well, let's look at the bright side, you have one difficult conversation out of the way."

"What one's that?"

Ryuu looked surprised, not expecting Inuyasha not to know. "The one with Yumi of course." He stroked his chin thoughtfully. "In a way, that one was probably more awkward than the coming one with Kagome."

"I don't understand how that could be possible."

"Huh… So listening to your wife talk about her previous sexual encounters to your daughter and explaining how she is going to be just like her is better than talking to your wife about sleeping with her sister. Interesting."

"You're a bastard." A man standing next to him blinked in surprise, shock written on his face. "Err, not you, sorry."

"I'm only trying to help."

"Well you're not," Inuyasha hissed under his breath.

Crossing his arms, Ryuu held his head high. "Fine, I won't say any more."

To Inuyasha's relief, Ryuu meant what he said. _Finally, I can _think_!_ That got an angry glare from his illusionary man, but Inuyasha found it was quite easy to ignore. His excitement on getting home quickly was building. Even though he reluctantly acknowledged that there would be one more difficult conversation, it was offset by the notion that the talking could wait until later. By how he felt right now, he knew Kagome would be more than happy to put it off a little longer too…

*******************

Yumi was in bed when Inuyasha returned. He didn't ask too many questions about _why_ she was in bed before eight or more importantly, if she was actually sleeping. In fact, he didn't say much between when he entered through the front door and when he got to the room he shared with Kagome. Two thoughts briefly crossed his mind as Kagome led him to the bed, clothes dropping as they went. One was the uncomfortable realization that Yumi was probably still awake, the other, that he was about to make love to his wife on the very same bed he had had her sister on the night before. Both thoughts were quickly buried under the barrage of passionate kisses Kagome gave him.

There were only a few times Inuyasha had experienced makeup sex. He and Kagome rarely had large arguments until recently. Even then, things had cooled down long before they headed to the bedroom. Nothing before compared to this however and Kagome was in control every step of the way. He made a few attempts at dominance, but she quickly made it clear that there would be none of that. Straddled atop him, she drove down on him with a force that rocked the bed, slamming it against the wall harder than it usually did. Her impassioned cries of bliss overpowered the sounds of the bed. It was as if she _wanted_ the entire apartment complex to hear. In an animalistic way, she was making it clear that no matter what circumstances, he was, and forever would be, hers. She let out an ear-piercing scream as she came. Pinning his arms against the bed, she panted heavily, hair covering her face as she pulled energy from his body. He didn't utter a word as she greedily drained as much as she could. He was more than lightheaded as she roll off him. Both were gasping for breath as they stared at the ceiling quietly.

"That was…" Kagome whispered between breaths. Inuyasha could only nod, or try to. His body was oddly numb to his minds orders. _She really _did_ take a lot._ "Could you imagine if it was like this every time?" It sounded like she was drooling at the thought.

"I'd die," he whimpered, half-joking.

Laughing, she rolled onto her side to face him. Turning his head to face her was all he could manage and even that was pushing it. The smile slowly left her face. "Sorry about being so loud. I know you don't like it but—"

"I don't mind." _Well, not completely anyways._ A large part of him was still uncomfortable with how things were, and how they were going to be from now on. He feared he would see a pair of eyes watching from a cracked door. However, a glance at the door revealed it was still shut tight. Another small blessing was Ryuu was gone. Things would have been _real_ awkward if he had hung around. Luckily, Inuyasha hadn't seen him since he arrived back at the apartment. _And it can stay like that forever for all I care._

Her eyes left his, wandering down his chest as she nervously nibbled on her lower lip. Inuyasha knew what was coming before she said anything. "I was wondering… if we could talk now," she said, her pleading eyes meeting his as she finished.

With his body still numb, he couldn't run even if he wanted too, not that he would have. Not anymore. "Yeah."

She drew a deep breath, letting it out slowly. Not only did it relax her, it helped return her breathing to a normal pace. "First, I want to thank you again for what you did."

He looked away, a feat considering how tired he was. Unfortunately, he was looking at the ceiling again. "I don't _want_ to be thanked."

Kagome rested an arm on his chest, pulling herself against him. Her face appeared in his vision as she rested half atop him. "You risked your life to save my sister. You… did something you didn't want to do and I know it hurt you." She struggled to keep her voice steady. "I'm sorry I made you do that. I owe you so much that I couldn't possibly hope to repay it all. Anything you want, anything at all…"

Inuyasha took a deep breath. It was harder being as tired as he was and Kagome lying atop him. "Kagome, you don't owe me anything, you never will either." He wished he could move his arms. He desperately wanted to run his hand against the smooth skin of her cheek as she peered down at him with her wide brown eyes.

She shook her head slowly. "You are so wonderful. I know that the world I've pulled you into is… difficult, but you willingly continue on instead of walking away."

That shocked him. "I would never leave you! Or Yumi for that matter! The thought never even crossed my mind, not even for a second!"

Kagome smiled brightly. "I know. That's why you're so great. Many men in your position would take advantage of the situation."

Inuyasha furrowed his brow. "Take advantage?"

"Well… like when you lived with Anna and Eiko."

His face flushed. "Oh…"

"Yeah," she whispered as an awkward silence fell over them. She suddenly perked up. "And you did a wonderful job with Yumi today. I know humans in general are uncomfortable with having that conversation with their children and succubi go into… quite a bit more detail."

Inuyasha chuckled nervously. "Yeah… a little warning would have been nice."

She smiled sweetly before pecking him on the lips. "Sorry. Considering the circumstances, you handled it well."

"I don't feel like it." He took a deep breath. A frown appeared. "Speaking of earlier, was it really wise to talk up threesomes to her? You really sounded excited there."

She grimaced. "I was hoping you would forget about that." She sighed. "Inuyasha, you know how things are different in our world. Monogamous relationships are rare. For those of us who are above a certain power threshold, it's dangerous for both us and the human we are with. Just look at what happened tonight. Taking as much from a normal human would easily have killed him. Yumi is our daughter. If she isn't more powerful than I am, I would honestly be surprised." Her expression softened as she ran a hand though his hair. "I'm sorry, but I don't believe she could ever have a relationship like we do."

Inuyasha didn't know what to say, so he chose to stay quiet. He had hoped… hoped that she would be different, like her mother. He tried to brush the weight of the revelation aside with a smile. "Well, at least you're telling me this now so I have time to prepare. Lord knows I'm going to need all the time I can get."

Kagome didn't smile. "This is also why I'm okay with what you did."

"Huh? Oh…" Inuyasha suddenly realized she was referring to her sister. His face twisted in confusion. "But you have me."

"I didn't _always_ have you." She looked sad. "As much as I may want, I won't ever be able to escape who I am."

"So if Kikyo was healthy at the time…"

Kagome made a face, like she had just been given a spoonful of vinegar. "Please! Anyone but my sister!" Inuyasha was taken aback by her sudden outburst. "Do you have any idea how awkward it is to share a lover with a sibling?" A horrified expression appeared on his face as he stared helplessly up at her. She held her laughter for several seconds before exploding into a fit. "I'm kidding!" she gasped, slapping at his bare chest.

"About what part?" he cried in dismay.

"All of it silly." She suddenly became serious as she pulled at his cheek. "But just because I'm a succubus doesn't mean I'm okay with you running around. We aren't going to be like Sango and Miroku. You are mine."

"Yesh, yesh, I gosh it!" he cried as she wiggled her hand gently with the flesh of his cheek. Releasing him, she smiled as she gently rubbed where she had grabbed.

She smiled. "Good. Now, are we finished talking?"

"I've barely any feeling in my legs or arms," he groaned. He watched as she slowly retreated under the covers.

"That's okay, this won't require either of them…"

Gripping at the covers, Inuyasha held on for the ride…

*******************

**A big thanks to everyone who has left a review. Please continue to do so!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any characters associated with it. This story is rated for a mature audience.**

***Not edited. Will update later.**

*******************

Inuyasha snapped awake, any trace of grogginess gone as he slowly rose to a sitting position. Beside him, Kagome propped herself up on her elbow. "Is everything okay?" she asked concerned as she rested a hand against his chest.

Blinking, he looked around as he slowly recognized his room in the darkness. "Y-yeah, I'm fine," he lied, focusing on her. He had the feeling that he woke up for a reason, but the details eluded him. Whatever it had been, it had an emotional impact. His heart was racing and his forehead was covered in sweat.

Not surprisingly, his lie didn't pass unnoticed. "It's not like you to wake so soon," she paused for a moment. "At least, not after a night like that," she finished with a coy smile.

Inuyasha glanced over towards the window to see it was still dark outside. To his surprise, Ryuu stood next to the window, leaning casually against the wall. "Morning," he said with a nod as Inuyasha's gaze fell on him.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome whispered. He jerked in surprise as her hand tightened around his arm.

"Huh? Oh, sorry," Inuyasha said, turning his attention back to her. "Yeah, I'm fine." The dubious look she gave him showed she didn't believe him, but she made no further attempt to question him. Instead, she rose to a sitting position as well, turning slightly to face him. A chill ran up Inuyasha's back as he sensed another pair of eyes focusing on his wife. A quick glance over his shoulder confirmed Ryuu still leaned against the wall, smirking with his eyes clearly focused on Kagome's bare chest. Frowning, Inuyasha shifted on the bed to obstruct the others view.

"You know that does absolutely nothing right? I can see anything you see – and more," Ryuu said in an amused tone behind him. _Shut up and go away! _Kagome tilted her head to the side in puzzlement from Inuyasha's constant glances behind him. Finally, she couldn't take anymore.

"What is it?"

"Nothing," he answered quickly.

"It's obviously nothing. You keep looking towards the window."

Forcing a smile, he focused his attention on Kagome. "Now I'm looking at you. Is there a problem with me looking around?"

"Just as long as you don't touch," she responded lightly, giving him a radiant smile.

It took him a second to realize she was referring to other women. "Funny," he grumbled unhappily as memories of Kikyo returned along with the unpleasant emotions associated with them. _We've already talked about this. Bury it and move on._

"Ah, if only it were that easy." Inuyasha watched from the corner of his eye and Ryuu circled around into view. "Things would be far simpler and a whole lot less entertaining, for me at least."

_Bastard. _Inuyasha forgot Ryuu could read his thoughts. _Just go away._ He paused for a moment before continuing._ And stop staring at my wife's chest!_

Ryuu had a broad smile as he moved towards the end of the bed. "I can't help it. They're so small and perky and I'm having a hard time trying to figure out why you say you prefer them to something you can actually grab. Though I must admit, they _are_ perfect even if small." He made the statement all the worse by making squeezing gestures with his hands. When Inuyasha ignored him, he continued. "Don't deny it. I know how you _truly_ feel about things. Admit it, Kikyo's are much better. Sango's too. Avery's even more-so." He clicked his tongue. "You really should have gone for that. I know we both would have enjoyed that."

_Go to hell._

"There's no reason to fight! I'm only saying what you feel."

_Stop lying. I love Kagome and everything about her._ Inuyasha gave a firm mental nod at the thought. Kagome was more than enough for him, the fact that he married her proved that. No matter what Ryuu said, nothing would change that.

"Ho?" Ryuu said with a widening smile, leaning down onto the bed. "Everything you say?"

_Not _everything_, _Inuyasha admitted. _But I accept her shortcomings, just like she forgives mine._

"Huh, shortcomings eh? Is that what they call infidelity now?"

"Inuyasha?" Kagome's soft voice cut off any response from Inuyasha.

Blinking several times, Inuyasha refocused on her as he realized Kagome had no idea he was talking with someone else. "Hmm?"

She looked down, a sorrowful expression appearing on her face. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to remind you of painful memories."

Confused, Inuyasha sat dumbfounded for a few seconds before realizing she had mistaken the silence for guilt. "No! It's nothing like that!"

With a mournful smile, she continued. "I'm just so comfortable around you that I forget you're human and humans look at things a little differently."

"It's fine, really," he pressed, wanting to move the end the current conversation as quickly as possible.

"You two are both idiots," Ryuu said with a weary sigh. "This entire relationship you built with her is like an upside down pyramid. The longer this goes on, the more likely the whole thing will collapse under its own weight."

_How many times do I have to tell you to shut up?_ Inuyasha thought angrily, flashing a glare over towards Ryuu who now rested casually on the edge of the bed.

"I'm just giving you a little heads-up. You married a succubus with little knowledge of their culture and lifestyle, zero preparation and zero rules. Marriage on its own is hard enough. Marrying a woman who survives by sleeping with men is not something you rush into. The fact this situation hasn't come up until now is a complete miracle. If you think this is the last time something like this happens, you're up for some miserable times ahead of you." A vindictive smile crossed Ryuu's lips. "The real reason why she's being so accepting of this is because she knows it too."

_I swear to God Ryuu, if you don't shut up—_

"You'll what?" His smile widened as he waited in silence. When Inuyasha didn't continue, he pressed on. "I'm curious Inuyasha. If I don't shut up, what is it you plan to do?" Inuyasha continued to remain silent, fuming in anger. He knew it just as much as Ryuu. There _wasn't_ anything he could do, at least, nothing that he knew of. "Don't look at me like that," Ryuu said with a fake pout. "I wasn't the idiot who married a succubus without preparing for situations like these."

"I expected her to cheat on me, not the other way around." There were a few seconds of silence as a chill settled over him. A horrified expression formed on his face as he realized he had said it aloud rather than thought it.

"Smooth," Ryuu managed to choke out before laughter overtook him.

"Kagome I—"

"You were expecting me to cheat?" she asked. The hurt in her voice was seconded only to the anger. "I thought you trusted me!"

"I _do_ trust you!" he answered quickly, sweat beading against his forehead. He had been backed into a corner. As far as he could see, there would be no lying his way out.

"Just not enough to stay faithful," Kagome muttered bitterly.

"Kagome I just… with what you are…"

"So because I'm a succubus, you automatically assumed I wouldn't be unable to stay faithful. I said monogamous relationships were _rare_, not impossible." Before he could say anything to counter it, she continued. "Few succubi are as powerful as me and are more than able to survive off one human so long as they're careful. It's because of physical limitations those like me are unable to live off one human, not emotional ones."

Inuyasha bit the inside of his lip. "I didn't mean it like that."

"Oh? Then how _did_ you mean it?"

Inuyasha felt his heart race inside his chest. It wasn't so much the argument itself, but rather what it did to Kagome. In her anger, her breathing was faster than normal, causing her breasts to sway before him. Her brow was furrowed and her eyes narrowed. She had a haunting beauty when she was enraged. Despite his better judgment in his current situation, he found himself becoming aroused by the sight. It was surprising he was still able to considering how much energy Kagome had taken a few hours ago. Luckily for him, Kagome's attention wasn't on the cover over his lap.

"I was just preparing for the possibility that there might be a situation where I was not around for you to feed from."

"Not around?" Her anger diminished slightly as confusion mixed into her expression. It was obvious she had never considered the situation. Considering they had never been separated for more than a few days in the past four years, it was understandable.

"Yeah," he continued, seeing a way out and diving at it with full force. "I could get into an accident or something that would make me unable to provide you with energy. What then?"

"I'd wait until you could," Kagome answered indignantly, crossing her arms.

It took considerable willpower to keep his eyes on hers. "What if it was for a week? Two weeks?" _This would be so much easier if she had clothes on. _The arguments themselves were hard enough to deal with. It was difficult keeping focus on what was being discussed when there were such wonderful other things to pay attention to.

"But far less entertaining," Ryuu added from the side. Inuyasha continued to ignore him, keeping all the attention he could muster on Kagome.

Kagome shifted uncomfortably, suddenly at a loss as the anger that fueled her dissipated. He knew as well as she did that a week was pushing it, even if she used as little energy as possible. Two was impossible for her. "I – I don't know," she finally admitted, letting her arms fall to her lap as she looked down. "I never considered it."

_There's a lot we didn't consider,_ Inuyasha thought as he rubbed the back of his neck, looking down as well. As much as he hated to admit, Ryuu was right once again. For the entirety of their marriage – no – for the entirety of their relationship, they had always lived day to day with little thought to the future. They had been living on a bubble this entire time and now that it had popped, they were only starting to realize just how difficult their marriage would be and how much work it would take to keep it together.

"_Now_ you understand," Ryuu said with a great sigh of relief. He sounded like a teacher had finally pounded knowledge into an obstinate student. "I've told you before I'm here to help. You may not like what I'm telling you, but _you_ were the one to get into this situation."

Both Inuyasha and Kagome looked like kids who had been scolded by their parents, neither one able to look at the other. To Inuyasha's surprise, Kagome suddenly burst into tears. Burying her face in her hands, she sobbed loudly as Inuyasha watched awkwardly, mind still in a state of shock at the sudden turn of events.

"Everything is my fault!" she sobbed, shoulders heaving as she gasped for breath. "I hate what I am!"

Unable to think of anything else, Inuyasha simply pulled her into a hug. At first, she put up light resistance, but slowly gave in, allowing herself to be pulled tightly against his chest. Tears fell against his bare chest as he rested a hand against the back of her head. "Don't say that," he whispered softly.

"If I wasn't a succubus, none of this would be happening! I love you so much, yet all I do is cause you pain!" She took a few shaky breaths. "We would have a normal relationship with normal problems."

"Kagome, stop," Inuyasha said firmly, pushing her away and holding her shoulders tightly. Teary eyes looked up at his as he spoke. "I married you because you are you. Nothing is going to change my feelings." She was still sniffling as he took a deep breath. "I've had enough terrible relationships to recognize one and this isn't one of them."

She wiped at her eyes. "You say that now—"

"I'm positive there will be obstacles in the future. Things will happen that you don't like. Things will happen that _I_ don't like. On our wedding day, I vowed that I would always put all my effort into working through whatever came our way with you." Hand under her chin, he gently nudged it so that she was looking at him. "I remember what it was like without you, and _nothing_ is worse than that."

Her tears had stopped, but she still wore a worried expression. "I want to believe that, I really do." Her voice turned to a whisper. "But I'm afraid I'll do something you can't forgive me for. That I'll do something _I_ can't forgive myself for."

Inuyasha felt as if needles had been jabbed into his chest. It wasn't because Kagome sounded convinced she was going to do something to make him hate her. It was because she didn't have faith in his ability to forgive her for it. Her lack of faith frustrated him. No words could change her mind. The only way she would understand his resolution to work things through would be to do something that warranted his forgiveness. The fact that he had to _prove_ his commitment infuriated him. Inuyasha had been in countless relationships before finally finding anchor with Kagome. Some had been great, others made his flesh crawl. Yet no matter how great a relationship had been, none ever motivated Inuyasha enough to fight to keep them like the one he had with Kagome. He could think of several things Kagome could do that made his stomach turn in disgust, but regardless, as stupid as some may call him, he would continue to stay beside her. _What do I have to do to prove I'm not the weak person she thinks I am?_

"That is a good question," Ryuu said beside him, nodding thoughtfully. "Too bad the answer is probably in something you aren't going to like."

"You don't have to worry about me," Inuyasha said in a firm voice. "I'm stronger than your average human."

Kagome gave him a weak smile. "I know."

"Then have a little faith in me, okay?"

Taking a deep breath, she wiped the last tears from her eyes before nodding. "Okay."

Pulling her close again, he took comfort in her warmth as he wrapped his arms around her. Ryuu may have been right about the upside down pyramid, but all he needed to do was build a stronger foundation. Now he knew what he needed to do to start that. In the coming days, they were going to have some lengthy discussions of situations that they needed to be prepared for.

For the first time, Kagome noticed his growing erection. Pulling away, she gave him a false expression of outrage. "Don't tell me you had that the whole time."

He shrugged sheepishly. "Having to look at such a beautiful sight, can you really blame me?" Rolling her eyes, she gently pushed him onto his back, brushing her lips against his.

_We can talk about those things later,_ he thought as Kagome crawled over him, lips locked to his. At the moment, nothing could distract him from his beautiful wife and his desire to show her just how much he loved her.

*******************

Sango didn't remember falling asleep, only that she had opened her eyes to suddenly find sunlight entering through the gap in the hotel curtains. Beside her, Miroku slept peacefully, drooling slightly against his pillow. To her surprise, they were both still dressed. It was probably the first time they had ever slept together without having sex. She didn't know whether to see that as a blessing or curse. Sango refused to believe their old relationship revolved around sex, but it had certainly been a major part of it. Miroku loved it and she loved being with him. That Miroku didn't pressure her into doing anything last night either meant a new, and hopefully stronger, relationship was forming, or their relationship had crumbled so much that Miroku no longer wanted to be with her that way. _After what I told him yesterday, I can understand why he wouldn't be…_ She banished the thoughts. _I need to think positive!_ _Miroku hasn't run away yet. That's a good sign, isn't it?_

Careful not to disturb Miroku, Sango rolled out of bed and shuffled over to the bathroom. She was halfway there when something caught her attention. Turning, she found Naraku smiling broadly, hands folded before him.

"What do _you_ want?" she whispered, glancing apprehensively over at Miroku. He wouldn't be able to see Naraku and it would be awkward if he awoke to find her seemingly talking to herself.

"Is that any way to greet the one who ultimately holds your freedom?"

"For a price," Sango answered bitterly.

Naraku merely shrugged. "Freedom is earned."

"Just tell me what it is already."

"Rejoice, for I have found a suitable father for our child!"

Sango felt like an icy hand had grabbed her gut. "Is… that so?" she said, casting an anxious glance over at the sleeping Miroku. _I wish I had more time to prepare…_ Pregnancy was a long ordeal. She wanted to have some time to rebuild her relationship with Miroku before starting it. Carrying someone else's child while trying to build a relationship with the man you loved wasn't something she was comfortable with doing.

Naraku seemed to know her thoughts. "Do not worry about the pregnancy," he said, waving his hand casually in front of him. "This won't be a normal one. Infused with my demon energy, my mortal body will only take a few days to grow to maturity. You will have more trouble becoming pregnant than carrying it."

"That fast?" Sango yelped. The image of her belly suddenly swelling to that of a woman about to give birth in only a few days made her pale. The entire image of her pregnant unsettled her stomach. She wasn't like Kagome. Kids were something for a future her.

"It will be painless to you, I assure you."

"Why am I not comforted by that?" Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and steeled herself before opening her eyes once more. "Well? Tell me who it is and where I can find him. The faster I get this done, the better."

A devious smile spread across the demons lips. "Lucky for you, you've already met the man."

"I have?" The conceited man she had met a few days ago appeared in her mind. _It couldn't be…_

With a vindictive smile, Naraku began to speak. Each word sucked more color from Sango's face until she was a ghostly pale.

"You can't be serious!" she cried in dismay, her strength leaving her.

"My preparations will be done tomorrow." He seemed to relish her misery. "Isn't it wonderful though? You can have your freedom in less than a week." He grew serious. "And I don't need to remind you of the consequences of failure."

Lip quivering, Sango sank onto the mattress. Laughing, Naraku's image faded until she was left to fight back tears alone.

*******************

Miroku's grogginess vanished the instant his eyes fell on Sango. Sitting on the edge of the bed, it appeared as though she had spent some time crying. Sitting up quickly, he rubbed the remaining sleep from his eyes. "Sango, what is it?" he whispered, throat dry. She shook her head, quickly trying to dry her eyes. "Sango…" Scooting over, he wrapped his arm around her, pulling her against him. Thankfully, she didn't try to resist. "I told you I'm here to support you. Whatever it is, I'm here for you."

Taking a deep, trembling breath, Sango looked at him. "I found out who I'm supposed to…" Her voice drifted off. "Have a child wish," she finished.

Miroku's grip on her shoulder weakened, allowing them to separate slightly. Instantly, he regretted the move and could see the effect it had on Sango. Fortunately, she seemed to have been expecting it. "So," he said before clearing his throat. The atmosphere was suddenly stiff. "Who's the lucky guy? Anyone I know?" he joked, hoping his lighthearted tone would help. _I told her I was going to be here for her. No matter how much it hurts…_ So far, things weren't as bad as he had expected them to be. Then again, it was entirely possible the situation hadn't fully sunken in yet. He knew it was odd. The woman he loved was going to willingly have another man's child and here he was playing cheerleader. Thinking about it caused tightness in his chest. It wasn't pain, but it certainly wasn't comforting. What sickened him was knowing the tightness was _supposed_ to be pain. Why wasn't he enraged at the situation? Why wasn't he trying to stop her? _I'm such a bastard…_ It made him wonder why she was even still with him.

Sango flinched at the statement, as if his words had physically affected her. "You do…"

"I do?" he repeated, dumbfounded. A dozen faces flashed through his mind. "Who?"

A fresh round of tears seemed to spring forth as Sango leaned forward, sobbing into her waiting hands. "Inuyasha," she cried. "It's Inuyasha."

To hear the only male he _hadn't_ considered get chosen, Miroku had his puzzlement turn to horror – again for the strangest reason. It wasn't because his best friend had been chosen. Actually, it was a relief in a way. Somehow, his best friend's child was more appealing to him than one from a total stranger. It was messed up, but he was beginning to accept that he wasn't like normal guys. No, he was horrified because it was entirely possible Sango was given an impossible task. Inuyasha wasn't like he was in college. He was fiercely loyal to Kagome and would _never_ betray her. While in a normal situation, his loyalty would be applauded. Now Miroku was put in position where he would either fail the woman he loved, or betray his best friend. Neither option was appealing.

"I see…" he said slowly, mind racing. The silence grew as he struggled to find a solution.

"That's it?" She sounded – and looked – surprised.

"Huh?" he asked, giving her a confused look.

"You're not… angry?" She looked frightened, like she was lighting the fuse that would eventually lead to something exploding in her face.

"Why would I be?" Sango gave him a glare, unwilling to say aloud what should be obvious. Sighing, Miroku casually rubbed the back of his neck. "The way I see it, you have no control of the situation. You said this demon picked him out, right? It's not like you did." He paused to rub his chin. "The hard part is going to be convincing Inuyasha to go through with it."

Sango blinked in surprise. "You're… actually okay with this." It sounded more like a statement than a question. She looked down at her lap. "I don't know whether to be angry at you or relieved."

"I said I would support you."

She watched him from the corner of her eye. "I guess I'll be thankful. There's plenty of time to be angry at you later."

Miroku gave her a supportive smile. It didn't last long however. "So uh… when do you need to do this?"

"Tomorrow," she whispered miserably. "I feel terrible and I haven't even done anything yet!" She placed her face in her waiting hands. "After all Kagome's done for me… how could I possibly ask her for this?"

"Hey, it's not your fault! It sounds like this demon thing is doing its best to make you miserable."

"Well, it's working," she whimpered.

Miroku considered everything before taking a deep breath. "Maybe it would be better if we didn't do this..."

Sango only shook her head. "That was never an option, remember?"

"Well… what happens if you don't go through with it? You were never exactly clear on that."

She bit her lower lip. "Well, the contract stated I needed to provide a body for the demon."

"Uh-huh."

"So in the case that I don't provide one, mine would be given in forfeit."

"That is _definitely_ out of the question." Hearing that, Miroku made his decision. He would do everything in his power to protect Sango, even if it did cost him his friendship. Inuyasha was as close as a friend could be, but Sango was indispensible to him. Even if by some miracle he came to love another woman like Sango, no one would put up with him like she did. "I'll talk to Inuyasha and—"

"No!" Sango shouted quickly. Lowering her voice, she continued. "I'll do it. Just… being here for me is enough. I've already asked a lot of you. I couldn't stand it if you lost your friendship with Inuyasha because of me."

"But—"

She put on a strong front, smiling brightly. "Don't worry. I'll talk to Kagome first. She'll understand the situation." Taking a deep breath, she folded her hands together. "If anyone can convince Inuyasha, it's her."

Miroku looked down at his hands which rested in his lap. "This isn't going to be easy for them."

"It's not going to be easy for _any_ of us."

Miroku squeezed his fists together. "But it's something we have to do."

*******************

"Mom!" Kagome cried in surprise, nearly dropping the phone. "You're… _calling_ me!"

Her mother didn't seem too thrilled at her daughter's surprise. "I _do_ know how to use one if that's what you're implying."

"Err, not at all," Kagome said, reddening. "It's just that you rarely call…"

"Hmph. It's far too easy to listen in on phone conversations. You never know who else may be listening."

"Right…" _Then why are you using one now?_

"Anyways, your sister and I have been preparing for the ritual. Anna and Eiko are both ready as well. How are preparations on your end?"

Holding her hand to the mouthpiece, Kagome glanced over her shoulder to see Yumi drawing in the living room, happily humming to herself as she carefully selected the next color to use. Attention back to the phone, Kagome pressed the receiver to her ear. "Yumi is ready."

"And you? You're the most important part of the ritual… besides Yumi of course."

Taking a deep breath, Kagome released it slowly. The stress was getting to her. The ritual was dangerous enough. One mistake could kill her, Yumi or everyone else involved. Add the problems with Inuyasha on top of the stress caused by the ritual preparations… She felt like a balloon ready to pop at the slightest increase in pressure. "I've spent most of my energy getting things ready. Tomorrow afternoon I'll refill my energy in time for the evening ritual."

"Why not tonight?"

"Inuyasha needs a rest. Last night was exhausting for him." That wasn't entirely true. It _had_ been exhausting for him. However, it didn't seem to affect him like it used to. Instead of him lounging around the entire day, he was more energetic than ever, even taking time to wrestle with Yumi earlier. She knew something was different about him. That he managed to wear _her_ out last night was proof enough. Never before had she been so bloated on energy, almost enough to make her sick. Yet despite that, he seemed perfectly capable of going again. It wasn't that she didn't like it, far from it. Still, it was out of the ordinary and that alone was cause of concern, especially after absorbing the poison from Kikyo.

"I see…" Her mother didn't sound too ecstatic at her answer. Though she never came out and said it, Kagome knew her mother disapproved of her keeping Inuyasha completely to herself. Had Kagome not been as powerful, or as important, as she was, things would probably be much different than they were now. _Well I _am_ powerful and important. I'm not going to share Inuyasha for trivial reasons._ As for non-trivial reasons… well, she would deal with those as they came.

"Don't worry; I'll have more than enough when the time comes."

"Remember, the more energy you give Yumi, the better off she'll be."

"I know Mom." _This isn't the first time I've done this._ Even if it was the first time taking the role of the mother, she had been the support role enough times to know what to do. Besides, from what she understood, everything came instinctually to the mother when the ritual began.

There was a brief silence before her mother spoke again. "It's going to leave you drained…"

Kagome knew what she was getting at. "I know."

"It will be the closest you've ever come to starving to death."

"_I know._"

Her mother sighed. "I would be more comfortable if you—"

"I'm _not_ taking part in that." Kagome's tone had an air of finality to it. She knew _exactly_ what her mother wanted her to do and nothing her mother said would convince her to do it. During the ritual, Yumi would go from her body of around six to her adult form ranging anywhere from seventeen to twenty-two. This magically enforced body would act as a container for her awakened powers. Unfortunately, the process of making a six year old body into an adult body took an insane amount of energy that no one succubus could ever hope to wield. That was why the ritual was created. Four succubi channeled their power into a fifth, usually the mother. The fifth acted as a buffer, slowly entwining the magical energy into her daughter's body. The amount of energy required was what made the ritual so dangerous. Three wouldn't be enough and the young succubi would die. Adding a sixth overwhelmed the mother and killed her. Considering Anna, Eiko and her mother were still cursed and therefore, had reduced energy capacities concerned her. Her mother was convinced that both Kagome and Kikyo's above average energy levels combined with Inuyasha's red energy would be enough to make up the loss. Still, it was obvious it would take the five to the brink. The post-ritual orgy was an old tradition. It acted as both a celebration and a means to replenish the lost energy. Now, it was needed to ensure Anna, Eiko and her mother didn't die as soon as the ritual completed. So far, Inuyasha hadn't asked about the ritual, something she hoped to avoid completely knowing he would go ballistic finding out what would transpire after.

"You don't have to join completely, a little…"

"No means no Mother."

"But—"

Kagome let out a weary sigh. "I'm not going to argue with you on this Mom."

"I'm not going to let my daughter kill herself because of a—" She caught herself. After a few moments of silence, a heavy sigh sounded through the phone. It was obvious that she had conceded to the fact that Kagome wasn't going to budge on the subject. "Just promise me Inuyasha will be close."

Kagome knew Inuyasha wasn't going to like it, but it was better than the alternative. "Okay. By the way, how's Kikyo?" she asked, quickly steering the conversation in a new direction.

This time, her mother's sigh was more lighthearted. "Having the time of her life," her mother answered, voice dripping in envy.

Kagome laughed, happy not to be the focus of the conversation for once. "I bet."

"I would let you talk to her, but I haven't seen her all day."

A chill ran down her back as worry gripped her. "You haven't?"

Her mother picked up on her distress. "Ah, I didn't mean it like that," she corrected quickly. "I only meant that she has more or less barricaded herself in a hotel room, enjoying her newfound freedom to the fullest." There was a brief pause. "Speaking of which… how is Inuyasha?" Even if her mother didn't care for Kagome's monogamous relationship, she _did_ care about her and recognized how important it was to her.

"He's… struggling." _To put things lightly._ To make matters worse, she knew that she wasn't helping matters. Trying to explain that it didn't matter to her had only made things worse. She said things that, at the time, seemed like the right things to say, only to later regret them. It wasn't that she didn't _care_, only that there were more important things to focus on. There was a massive difference between being intimate with someone and being intimate with someone you loved. The sooner Inuyasha understood that, the better off he would be.

"I'm sorry. I had no idea how potent the poison would be for a human."

"It's not your fault… It would have never happened had I done my job."

"He's strong for a human. The next time something like that happens, he'll be better prepared."

"There won't _be_ a next time," Kagome said firmly.

"Well, not that exact situation, no. But you need to acknowledge the possibilities that things like this _can_ happen. It's because you had convinced him otherwise that this shook him so badly."

Kagome chewed at her lower lip. Glancing over her shoulder, she made sure Yumi was still off in her own world. Seeing she was still coloring happily, Kagome covered the phone receiver with her free hand and spoke in a low voice. "It seems he was expecting me to be unfaithful, not him."

"Unfaithful? In what way has he been unfaithful?"

Kagome frowned. "The incident with Kikyo," she answered, voice flat.

"How is that considered unfaithful?"

"He's human…" Kagome reminded her mother softly.

Her mother clicked her tongue in disappointment. "So he is still clinging to that primitive idea of love? I would have thought that after being with you for so long, at least a little would change."

"It's not easy for someone to change how they think."

"Kagome, I'm going to say this for your own good. If he continues to cling onto his idea of love, your marriage _will_ fail."

"Wha—"

"He needs to understand that love and sex are completely separate for succubi. For us, sex would equate to him enjoying a well prepared meal."

Kagome puffed her cheeks out in anger. "It's not like that!"

Her mother sounded amused. "Oh it's not _always_ like that. I know how you feel about Inuyasha. I felt the same way about your father. But regardless of feelings, my point remains the same."

Crossing her free arm across her chest, Kagome resisted the urge to sigh. She understood all too well what her mother was saying. In the time she had separated from Inuyasha, men had been nothing more than a meal to her. It was an empty feeling she was all too happy to forget. "I understand what you are saying, but what am I supposed to do? Tell him that even if I sleep with other guys, I only love him? If that's the case, what's the point of our marriage?"

Her mother let out a wistful sigh. "I remember when I was your age, asking myself the same thing."

"And what answer did you find?"

Though she couldn't see her mother, Kagome imagined her smiling. "Well, I've loved many men but I haven't married since you were sealed."

Stomach knotting, Kagome leaned against the wall, phone pressed against her ear. Her mother had never remarried in over seven hundred years. That meant only one thing. She believed marriage was pointless. Kagome clenched the phone tightly, her free hand tightening into a fist. Her mother may believe that marriage was pointless, but not her. _Inuyasha is special, not just as a man, but as a human as well. We _can_ do this._ Kagome was determined to show her mother she was wrong in her belief. _Things will work out. I know they will…_

*******************

**Thanks for everyone who left reviews. Please continue!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any characters associated with it. This story is rated for a mature audience.**

***Not edited. Will update later.**

*******************

Inuyasha had the creeping feeling that Ryuu was up to something. He was gone most of the day and the times when he did appear, he was eerily silent and kept his distance. Inuyasha didn't miss his ghostly companion. It made his day far more enjoyable. However, Inuyasha felt he was being studied, Ryuu's unwavering gaze locked on him.

Still, he didn't let Ryuu's creepiness stop him from enjoying the day. Inuyasha spent most of it playing with Yumi. Today would be the last time he would be able to and he wanted as many happy memories of his daughter's childhood as possible. It was easier without Ryuu's incessant comments and constant watchful presence. All things come to an end however. Night inevitably fell and Yumi grew tired. After tucking the half-awake Yumi into her bed, he kissed her forehead before slowly retreating from the room. Closing the door softly, Inuyasha took a deep breath as he stretched out his arms to either side. He knew full well how tired he should be. Little sleep combined with Kagome's feeding as well as the exertion of keeping up with Yumi, Inuyasha should have been passed out on the floor. Instead, he felt as energized as he had been in the morning. That wasn't to say he wasn't sleepy. While the body was more than willing to go burn off its excess energy, his mind felt drained. There was a lot for him to think about. The issues with Kagome were set aside for the moment. Inuyasha still had trouble wrapping his thoughts around what was planned tomorrow. Even with all the special and amazing things he had seen Kagome do during his time with her, he couldn't quite bring himself to believe that his daughter would suddenly grow up in a day. Even if she had grown remarkably fast over the past months, the sudden jump in years in a few hours the ritual was supposed to take seemed impossible.

"Thinking about tomorrow?" Kagome asked, slowly shutting the door to their room behind her. He looked up from the bed, surprised by her sudden appearance. His thoughts scattered as her voice brought him back into the present.

"Yeah," he answered, his gaze returning to the spot on the floor it had originally rested.

Kagome took several steps closer to him. "If you have any questions…"

Inuyasha shook his head before looking back at her. "It's nothing like that. No matter how hard I try, I can't believe Yumi's going to be an adult. I mean, I knew she would eventually but—"

"It is a little quick," Kagome said, nodding. "Even for a succubus, she has been growing fast. In part because of me, but most of it is because of your energy." Her eyes widened slightly a few seconds after she spoke. "Not that this is your fault or anything."

"No, it's fine," Inuyasha said, waving it aside. "I mean, this _is_ a good thing, right?"

Smiling, Kagome gently sat beside him, resting her hand against his leg. "Of course!"

He let out a deep breath, forcing himself to nod. "I just can't help but feel we've missed something..."

With an amused smile, Kagome tightened her grip on his leg. Pressing herself against him, she rested her head against his shoulder. "You're not the only one, but this _is_ Yumi we're talking about. She's a smart girl. She'll be fine."

"I know." A small smile forming, Inuyasha wrapped his arm around her. "Speaking of rituals, you _are_ going to need energy for tomorrow, right?"

Kagome wrinkled her nose, leaning her head back to look up at him. "If I didn't know better, I would think you're trying to suggest something."

An innocent smile crept across his face. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Tilting her head up, she pressed her lips against his. Inuyasha pulled her further into him. Things were just starting to heat up when he felt her hand against his chest, softly pushing him away. "I think that's far enough tonight," she whispered softly, barely holding onto her breath.

Inuyasha blinked stupidly, caught off guard by her sudden resistance. "_You're_ turning down sex? Things really _are_ changing."

She stuck her lower lip out in a pout. "I'm not doing this because I'm not in the mood." Inuyasha resisted the urge to chuckle. She was _always_ in the mood. "I'm doing it because _you_ need rest." She jammed her index finger into his chest to further make her point. "You may not feel it, but I can tell you've used a lot." A coy smile formed. "I'll need you in peck condition tomorrow, both before and after the ritual, so get your rest."

Inuyasha cocked his head slightly to the side. "After?"

"That's right… I didn't tell you…" Whatever it was, by her tone, it was something unpleasant.

"Tell me what?"

Sighing, Kagome pulled away from him just far enough to better face him. "I've mentioned how dangerous this ritual can be."

He nodded. "I remember." Kagome had explained the ritual to him earlier, or most of it as he was just now learning. He didn't like it, but it was something that had to be done, for Yumi's sake. The way Kagome was acting, this wasn't a part of the actual ritual. The last thing he wanted was an argument right now, so as she gathered her thoughts, he mentally prepared himself, repeating over and over that whatever it was, he wouldn't lose his temper.

"It's been a long standing tradition that after a successful ritual, the succubi involved replenish their energy."

"Makes sense…" Inuyasha said, cautiously. From the way Kagome had explained it, they did expend a lot of energy to complete it.

He could tell Kagome was struggling to find a graceful way of putting whatever it was she was going to say. Finally, she gave up, sighing as her shoulders sagged. "There's a big orgy after."

Inuyasha was silent, much to her apparent anguish. However, he was oddly calm about it. He figured it would have to be something like that. Succubi _did_ enjoy sex, even if it wasn't necessary for their survival. What Inuyasha couldn't figure out was why she needed him in peak condition after the ritual. Obviously, she was planning to regain her strength by feeding off him, but was that it? Was she trying to tell him that he would be involved in it? The thought made his stomach turn. He couldn't handle that, not now. Not when he still hadn't fully recovered from the incident with Kikyo. The thought of Kikyo felt like another punch to the gut. As his train of thought continued, he remembered Kagome had told him this wasn't the first time she had done one of these rituals. It was a thought he wished he could forget having. _How many times has she done… _that_?_

Carefully, he picked his words. "Am I…?" He trailed off, unable to force the words out.

Kagome eyes widened as she began shaking her head violently side to side, waving her arms in front of her. "No, no, no! I already told my mother I – we – weren't going to do that."

Inuyasha let out a deep sigh of relief. "Thank God! When you mentioned that…"

"No!" she repeated, laughing in relief. "I know how you feel about those sorts of things. I would never ask you to do something like that unless absolutely necessary."

Inuyasha noticed the 'unless,' but let it go. It wasn't worth risking an argument over. "Okay, so what exactly do I need to do?"

Brushing her bangs to the side, Kagome met his gaze. "After the ritual, I'm going to be extremely weak and hungry." She hesitated a second. "I may not be myself. Since we are at a disadvantage, this will push all of us to the edge. I'm never going to be closer to starving to death then that moment, so I need you to be there." Worry worked its way into her beautiful features. "I'm afraid if you don't move fast enough…" She let the sentence hang. Even though she didn't say it, he knew what she was saying.

"Don't worry," he said, caressing the side of her face. "I'll be there. I always will be."

Smiling, she pressed her hand against his. "I know…"

*******************

Crossing his arms, Miroku grunted unhappily. "Will you stop doing that?" In front of him, Sango paced impatiently. They had been standing in front of Kagome's apartment for the better part of an hour due to Sango's insistence that they needed to think.

Spinning on her heels, Sango faced Miroku. "Do you have _any_ idea of the situation I'm in?" she snapped.

Miroku merely blinked at her heated voice. By now, he was used to it. "I told you we should have done this yesterday." _Before you had any more time to brood on it, _he added silently.

Sango laughed humorlessly. "And say what? 'Hey Kagome, mind if I fuck your husband tomorrow?'"

"Today, tomorrow, it doesn't matter in the end. At least it would have given them some time to discuss it."

Her glare intensified. "You're not helping."

"Sango, you need to do this. The sooner we start, the better everything will turn out in the end."

Taking a shaky breath, she nodded. "I know… but still…" She began pacing again. She had barely completed a complete cycle when she turned to face him again. "How are you so calm about all this?"

"What do you mean?"

Her eyes narrowed. "You know what I mean."

He sighed. "I think I've answered that enough times. I'm going to support you in what you need to do, no matter what it is. That's what you do for the people you love." She was about to say something else when he interrupted. "Actually, I think your procrastination has provided us an opportunity." He pointed off into the distance behind her. "Look, Inuyasha's leaving with Yumi."

"Huh?" Sango said as she looked over her shoulder to watch Inuyasha lead Yumi away from their apartment.

"Now's our chance," Miroku said, excitement in his voice as he started walking towards the building.

"Miroku, wait!" Sango hissed as she reached out to stop him. She just missed the back of his shirt as he moved at a brisk pace away from her. "Miroku!"

Ignoring her pleas to wait, he marched to his friend's apartment and stood at the door as Sango slowly caught up. "Here we are," he announced, gesturing to the door.

Sango looked from him to the door. "I can't do this," she cried suddenly, spinning around to retreat. She didn't get far however, as Miroku was quick to grab her arm.

"Sango…" he growled in a low voice.

Tears began to form in Sango's eyes as she kept looking from him to the door and then back. "But—"

"Would you rather explain your situation with Inuyasha there, or give Kagome some heads-up first?" Sango bit her lip. The answer was a no-brainer. Satisfied that she was as prepared as she could ever be, Miroku rang the doorbell. Kagome answered a few seconds later.

"Miroku!" she cried out in surprise. Her eyes widened even more when she saw Sango. "_And_ Sango?!" Her eyes darted between the two. "Does this mean you two…"

"Yes and no," Miroku answered, trying to gage Sango's reaction out of the corner of his eye. Unfortunately, she was far too distraught to read. "We actually have something we need to discuss from you, you mind?" he asked, gesturing to the door.

"What am I thinking?! Of course, come in!" Kagome said, opening the door for them to enter. Miroku thanked her as he stepped inside, Sango close behind. "Sorry, but Inuyasha just left."

"We know. We just saw him leaving."

"He'll be back in less than an hour."

"That's okay, we've actually come to talk to you."

Kagome frowned, her eyes glancing towards Sango who was looking at everything _but_ Kagome. The fact that she hadn't said a word since she came in was undoubtedly setting off alarms for Kagome. "Okay…" she said slowly. Sure enough, there was a heavy amount of caution in her voice. "Come on inside, I'll make us some tea."

Inside, Miroku took a seat at the table, Sango sliding into the seat beside him. A few minutes later, Kagome served them tea before setting across from them with her own cup. "Thank you," Miroku said, taking a sip.

"It's nice to see you two back together," Kagome said cheerfully, trying to clear the awkward silence that had fallen over the group.

"There are still some things we need to work out," Miroku admitted, risking a glance over at Sango. She was clutching her cup so tightly, her knuckles were white. As far as she was concerned, he didn't exist; not with the terror that gripped her. It was understandable. Kagome was her only true friend and the last thing she wanted was to betray her. _Damn that demon._ They were every bit as evil and manipulative as the stories described them as.

Kagome nodded slowly. "I think I know why you're here."

"You do?" Sango asked suddenly, voice cracking. It surprised both Miroku and Kagome. Until now, she hadn't said anything.

"Yeah… If you two are trying to work things out, it must mean you are trying to rid yourself of the demons contract. Am I right?" Both nodded. "I'm afraid I can't really help you though. I'm not nearly as powerful as Myoga, and nowhere near as wise about these things."

"I've already spoken to Myoga… and to the demon," Sango said, eyes fixated at the steam rising from her cup.

"Oh," Kagome said, obviously not expecting that. "Well what did it want?"

There was a pause. "A child," Sango finally answered. "Or at least, a shell it could inhabit."

Kagome's eyes widened. "And you agreed?!" Sango shrank away from Kagome, lowering herself in her chair. "Do you have any idea how much trouble something like that could cause if it found a way into our realm?"

"I know..." Sango's voice cracked as tears ran down her face. "But I…" She cast a sideways glance over at Miroku. "I didn't think I had a choice."

Sighing, Kagome took a moment to collect her thoughts. "I take it you already agreed?" Sango nodded. Leaning back in her chair, Kagome ran her fingers along her glass. "Then you should do it."

"Huh?" Sango asked, looking at her friend through tear-stained eyes.

Kagome looked at Miroku as well as Sango as she spoke. "You may think of it as giving up your child, but it isn't. As it is conceived by way of a demon contract, it will never be more than an empty shell for the demon to inhabit."

It took several seconds for Miroku to realize what Kagome was saying. "Oh, _oh_! No, it isn't going to be my kid."

Kagome tilted her head in confusion. "It isn't?"

"The demon was very specific about who it wanted for the father," Sango clarified.

"Ah, I see," Kagome said, nodding. "You don't want to have a stranger's child."

Fresh tears ran down Sango's cheeks. "Kagome… Inuyasha needs to be the father…"

*******************

Inuyasha knew immediately something was wrong when he opened the door. There was no physical indication that something was wrong, only a forbearing sense of gloom. His suspicions that something was wrong were confirmed the moment he saw Miroku, Sango and Kagome in the kitchen. Kagome had a grim look on her face as she leaned against the counter, arms crossed over her chest. Sango was in tears. Miroku… Miroku appeared indifferent, which only meant he was burying what he really felt.

"Yumi… go on and play in your room," he said, patting his daughter on the back.

She clearly picked up on the tense atmosphere radiation from the adults and quickly scooted off towards her room. Inuyasha waited until he heard her door close before moving into the kitchen. "Hey," he said awkwardly, trying to get a feel for the situation. He had no idea what he was about to walk into. "Are you two…" He made a simple gesture with one of his fingers, moving it back and forth between Sango and Miroku.

"Back together?" Miroku offered. "More or less."

"That's… good news," Inuyasha said, awkwardly looking towards Kagome. _If they _are_ back together… why is there such a gloomy atmosphere?_

"Inuyasha, I need you to sit," Kagome said, gesturing to the empty chair at the table. Before Inuyasha could voice a question, she continued. "Please." Her tone suggested it wasn't wise for him to say anything. Silently, he did what he was told, slowly sinking into the chair. His eyes darted from Sango and Miroku back to his wife. After he was settled, Kagome pulled away from the counter. "I need you to listen quietly until I finish."

"What's this all about?" Inuyasha asked, eyes wandering between the three. Something was wrong and he didn't like being left out.

"Promise me you're going to listen and not say anything until I finish," Kagome repeated, ignoring Inuyasha's question.

He wanted to protest, but Kagome's expression told him his safest bet was to just obey her command. "Okay… I'll listen." _Whatever it is, I'm not going to like it._ If the atmosphere was any indication, he was going to more than dislike it.

True to his word, Inuyasha kept silent as Kagome began explaining the situation. Her voice was eerily calm, as if she was commenting on the weather. She told him of Sango's plight, her contract with a demon and how she had agreed to help it in exchange for her freedom. Inuyasha was still trying to figure out what any of it had to do with him until Kagome spelled out exactly what the demon required of Sango – and who would be the one to help her complete it.

Inuyasha's first reaction was humor. He couldn't stop the massive grin on his face as he looked around. "You're kidding right?" The grim silence was answer enough, the grin quickly disappearing. "You can't possibly be serious."

"Inuyasha—"

"No, absolutely not!" he interrupted as Kagome tried to placate his heating temper. "I'm not doing it!" he said firmly, defiantly crossing his arms.

"This isn't an easy decision to make, but we don't have any other choice!"

"'We?' There is no 'we' in this!" He turned his head to glance over at Sango and Miroku. "I don't mean to belittle the situation or anything, but it sounds like you've been living with this demon a long time. I don't see why you have to get rid of it now." He turned back to Kagome. "And even if you convinced me to do this – not that you could – isn't the _last_ thing we want is to give a powerful demon a mortal body for this realm?"

"He's right," Sango said suddenly. "It was a stupid thing to ask—"

Miroku gripped her shoulder tightly, forcing her back into her chair. "We're not leaving. Not until you've finished what you came here to do."

Inuyasha gave his friend a look of disbelief. "You of all people—"

Miroku had a hardened expression as he spoke. "No Inuyasha, it's you that should understand how far someone would go to protect the ones they love." His eyes flashed over towards Kagome. "She told us everything about her sister."

Inuyasha gave Kagome a betrayed look. She didn't see it however. Her eyes were firmly focused on the floor away from him. Inuyasha picked his words carefully. He could sense he was traversing dangerous waters. "Then you know _why_ I can't do it." He had a pained expression on his face as he continued. "Kikyo was a special case. She was dying. Even though I had to do it, I still can't forgive myself for it." He took a deep breath. "And I don't even see Kikyo that much. But you…" His eyes fell on Sango. "I see you multiple times a week. We're friends damn it! If I went along with this, that would be over. Every time I would see you, I would be reminded of what we did." Inuyasha shook his head. "I can't deal with that. I can't even deal with Kikyo. I'm sorry, but I just can't."

Miroku's fists clenched tightly, his knuckles whitening. "I don't care if this destroys out friendship," he said through clenched teeth. "I just want you to save the woman I love."

"Save? She's doing just fine!" Inuyasha shouted, outraged.

"Inuyasha…" Kagome cautioned softly. Miroku cut her off before she could say anything more.

"If she doesn't complete her side of the contract, the demon takes her body in forfeit." His expression darkened. "I'm not going to let that happen. Would you sit idly by if Kagome was in this situation?"

"Of course not!" Inuyasha answered defensively.

Miroku's expression softened. "You say you're a friend, so please…" He bowed his head so it was touching the table, his hands flat against the table on either side of his head. "Please save Sango. If it will make things easier, I promise you'll never see us again. I just… I can't live without her," he manage to choke out. Both Kagome and Sango wore had horrified looks on their faces at the prospect of never seeing one another again.

Standing, Inuyasha drew the gaze of the three. Silently, he walked towards the door. "Where are you going?" Kagome cried in dismay, unfolding her arms as she started to give chase.

He stopped her with an outstretched hand. "Stop. Don't follow me. I need to think for a moment."

A pained expression on her face, she bit her lower lip and nodded, taking a few steps back. Quickly, Inuyasha left the kitchen and didn't say a word until he was in the bathroom, the door shut tightly behind him. Letting out a muffled cry of frustration, it took all his willpower to prevent him from breaking everything he could lay his hands on. _Why me? Why is it always me?!_ He slammed his fist against the marble counter. He ignored the cries of pain radiating from the abused appendage. First it had been Kikyo, but now he had to deal with Sango on his conscience as well? It was already overburdened with Kikyo. Adding Sango now… But like Kikyo, Sango was family to Kagome. She didn't seem too upset with the situation. Maybe that was what pissed him off the most. Besides the unfortunate luck of his name being pulled out of the hat, Kagome seemed to have this aura of detachment about the whole thing. Perhaps things would have been different if they hadn't had Yumi, but how was he supposed to impose values on her if he didn't follow them himself?

"Quite a predicament you've found yourself in." Inuyasha nearly leapt from his skin at the sound of Ryuu's voice. The man smiled. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

"This is a bad time. Go away." _Of all the times for you to show up…_ His demon companion had been oddly absent the past day or two. It was frightening how quickly Inuyasha had forgotten about him.

Ryuu continued his pleasant smile. "And here I had good news for you." Inuyasha let out a quick snort. Ryuu raised an eyebrow. "Oh? You doubt me?"

"Was I that obvious?" Inuyasha asked with a roll of his eyes.

Ignoring the sarcasm, Ryuu continued. "I believe I've found away to separate from you."

_That_ got Inuyasha's attention. "You have?" It wasn't number one on the priority list, not anymore. But it wasn't too far behind. _The sooner I get rid of him, the sooner I can focus on other things._ _Besides, it will be nice to get rid of a problem instead of adding one._ "I'm listening."

"Let me have control of your body. In your place, Sango and I will fulfill her end of the contract. Since it _is_ a demon contract, the child will be nothing more than an empty shell. That's when _I_ move into the body instead of the other demon."

"That's ridiculous! I'd never let you have control of my body. Besides, doing that will cause Sango to breach the contract."

Ryuu smiled. "Technically yes, but in the eyes of the contract, Sango fulfills her part as soon as the child is created. It says nothing about her having responsibility if another demon takes control before hers." He shrugged, smile fading. "But I never said you were going to like it. Only that it's an option, and really, it's probably the best on you have." A sly smile replaced his other smile. "Besides, you can keep a clean conscious about it. After all, it wasn't you who really did it."

Inuyasha gave the apparition a suspicious look. "How can I trust you? What prevents you from keeping control of my body indefinitely?"

"Time," Ryuu answered calmly. "Even if I am powerful, I would only be able to keep control for a limited amount of time before I would lose control." Inuyasha still wasn't convinced. "Besides, when have I ever steered you wrong?"

"You're wrong _all_ the time when it comes to me."

"Fine," Ryuu said, crossing his arms. "Do whatever you want. I don't care anymore. You'll lose your best friends and your wife will hate you because you sacrificed her one and only friend, but hey, look at the bright side; I'll still be here to remind you every day just how bad you fucked up."

Gripping the edge of the marble countertop, Inuyasha leaned heavily against the sink, his mind racing. What Ryuu was saying did make a lot of sense. _If he's telling the truth._ He doubted he was. There was obviously something more in it for the demon. There was no way he would ever do something unless it helped him tremendously. _Still…_ Inuyasha couldn't deny the offer wasn't attractive…

_Fuck it._ Taking a deep breath, Inuyasha nodded. "Just be quick about it. I hope I don't regret this," he muttered as he continued shaking his head.

Ryuu wore a wide smile. "I knew you would see reason. Now just be still…"

*******************

Taking her place against the counter once more, Kagome wondered how long Inuyasha would be. She had heard a door slam, undoubtedly either the one to their room or the bathroom. He had taken the news better than she figured he would. He had gotten angry, yes, but he didn't explode. Maybe it was because Sango and Miroku were here, or maybe the incident with Kikyo had changed him more than she thought it did. If it had, she had a tough time figuring out if the change was a positive or negative thing.

Placing a hand on her forehead, Kagome bowed her head. _Of all the days for something like this to happen…_ Her mother would be coming to pick them up in a few hours to take them to where they had prepared the ritual. Kagome still needed to refill her energy supply before she came. Sango was running out of time as well. The demon had only given her a window of a day. Despite her best efforts, Kagome feared Sango still thought she was furious with her. Kagome knew better than to blame her for the current state of things. Demons from the other realm were notorious for making deals that negatively affected the other party and stacked the rewards heavily in their favor. Why this particular demon wanted Inuyasha could have been any number of reasons. In fact, Kagome would have been surprised if the demon _didn't_ want Inuyasha. He was a source of rare energy as well as housing a sealed away demon inside him. _It's the price to pay for marrying someone so valuable in my world._ But after the incident with her sister, Kagome had done her best to let go of the anger at not being able to live like a true married couple. The sacrifices they had to make were rather small compared to the rewards. She could live with it, Inuyasha on the other hand… _At least he's the one who has to do it._ Kagome couldn't imagine how Inuyasha would react if Kagome had to sleep with another person. Worse still, she wondered how _she_ would react. It was something she preferred not to think about it. Luckily, a situation like that had never presented itself and hopefully, never would.

_I need to focus right now,_ she thought as she reined in her thoughts. Both Sango and her needed Inuyasha, and there wasn't much time left for either of them. Kagome needed to find some way to convince him. She took a deep breath, releasing it slowly as she let her shoulders relax. It was surprising how much tension had built up in them. Kagome figured Inuyasha would only need to be – she couldn't bring herself to think of it any other way – with Sango once. In cases like this, the demon in the contract could manipulate enough in this realm to ensure a child was created in the first go. The pregnancy itself usually went quite quickly too depending on how much power the demon could transfer into its new body. The problem was where it always was, convincing Inuyasha to go through with it. She was overjoyed at his dedication to their marriage, but at the same time, she was frustrated by his stubborn refusal to do what had to be done. It wasn't Sango's fault his name was picked and it wasn't Miroku's fault for inadvertently causing Sango to make the deal. Everyone was a victim here, they just had to make best of what they could.

Kagome was about to break the silence when Inuyasha appeared in the doorway to the kitchen. She knew she had a shocked expression on her face. She never expected him to be back so quickly. Standing up, her arms fell back to her side. "Well?" she questioned softly. At the table, both Sango and Miroku turned to face Inuyasha.

"I'll do it," he answered in a weary voice, pain in his expression.

There were no sighs of relief, only a solemn realization that no one was better off for his agreement. Sango placed her face in her open hands as she lowered her head. Miroku was the first to break the silence that followed. "I know we're asking a lot from you… but thanks. I really mean it."

"I don't want to be thanked. Not for this."

Miroku nodded. "But I _am_ thankful. You're saving Sango's life from that… thing."

"Yeah well…" _At what cost?_ Kagome was positive it was the same thought process he had when he was in the similar situation with Kikyo. She was surprised when Inuyasha suddenly turned to her. "How are we on time?"

"Oh, uh…" Looking at the clock, Kagome quickly counted the time they had left. "About two hours."

"Something happening today?" Miroku asked, looking between the two.

"Yumi's becoming an adult," Kagome answered.

"An adult?" Sango asked, looking up, her eyes red from tears.

Kagome nodded as she explained. "Since her powers are awakening, we have to perform a ritual to give her an adult body to house them. All succubi have to go through it, though Yumi _is_ younger than most."

"I'm sorry… on such a day," Sango choked out.

Kagome moved over to her sniffling friend. "Don't be. This is all out of your control," she said as she rested a hand on her shoulder in reassurance. At the same time, she looked over at Inuyasha. "You understand that too right? They had nothing to do with it."

He sighed as he nodded. "As much as I wish none of this was happening, I understand."

She nodded. "So… I guess you two…" Her voice drifted off, face reddening. Sango's face flushed an even deeper red.

"What about you?" Inuyasha asked. "You need to gather as much energy as possible for the ritual."

"I can do that after. The ritual isn't as time-sensitive as Sango's situation. It can be pushed back and hour or two if needed."

"There's no reason for that. We can just do both at once." The three looked at him in shock. "If that's okay with everyone," he added quickly.

Sango's face was beat red and Kagome figured her own probably wasn't too far behind. Never did she think something like _this_ would come up. Glancing over at Sango, she found her friend giving her an anxious look. Neither one wanted to be the first to speak, mostly in fear of putting unwanted pressure on the other. _If I say 'okay,' I know Sango would agree as well, but does she really want too?_ Kagome figured Sango was thinking something similar to that as well. A glance at Miroku revealed his interest in the situation. He had an eyebrow raised as he looked between the three. What really got to Kagome though was Inuyasha. The nonchalant way he suggested it was very… peculiar of him. His past aside, nothing in his actions or words ever expressed an interest in this sort of activity yet here he was suggesting it. It made her question the depth of their relationship. She knew they both had their secrets, but they both had made their sexual wants and desires known early in their marriage. Or so she had thought.

Kagome knew that she would have to be the one to answer first. "I'm fine with it," she lied as calmly as she could, refusing to let her reluctance show. The idea didn't sit well with her, but she could think of worse things. To her surprise, Sango looked relieved as she quickly agreed to Inuyasha's proposal. It was as if the idea of being alone with Inuyasha terrified her. It made Kagome feel a little better about her decision – but only a little.

After a brief discussion with Miroku, he agreed to take Yumi to the nearby park to play. It took far more convincing than Kagome expected it would, but Inuyasha made it clear nothing would happen as long as Yumi remained in the apartment. Kagome was more than a little relieved at Inuyasha's ultimatum. Despite his out-of-character suggestion earlier, he was acting like his normal self again. So Miroku left a few minutes later with the ecstatic Yumi in tow, leaving the three to stand in an awkward silence. Kagome seemed to be the only one able to look at the others. Both Inuyasha and Sango were fascinated in everything _but_ the other two standing before them.

Sighing, Kagome gestured to the bedroom. "Well, no sense in just standing around. Shall we get started?" It was an ungraceful way of putting things and would have completely killed the mood provided there was a mood to kill. There was nothing romantic about this.

Once in the bedroom, they methodically began removing their clothes. Kagome was the first to finish, surprised to find the other two were still fiddling with their pants. She fought the impatience building inside her. Considering that everyone here had done this before, their modesty seemed out of place. Still she waited in silence as they finished undressing. Kagome had been expecting things to naturally progress once they were all undressed. Instead, Sango and Inuyasha stood frozen, eyes looking away as they did their best to cover themselves. Kagome flashed Inuyasha an enraged glare. _And this was _your_ idea!_ Glancing over at Sango, her eyes ran over her exposed skin. Old memories began to surface. This wasn't the first time she had seen her friend naked. Back in South America…

She shook the memories of the past away. By Sango's quick glances in her direction and flushed face, she hadn't been the only one to remember. "Let's get on the bed." Sango jumped at the sound of her voice. Wordlessly, the three climbed onto the bed. With the three of them atop it, Kagome was astonished at how she never noticed how big it was. They were cramped, yes, but they could all fit.

"So…" Inuyasha said softly, his eyes moving from one to the other. Kagome couldn't stand the awkward bumbling of inaction any longer. Taking the initiative, she crawled over to him and began to gently stroke his limp cock. Hardening in her grip, she bent down to run her tongue along the tip. Using a combination of her mouth, tongue and hand, she had him fully erect in less than a minute, a feat considering the atmosphere. Satisfied, she pulled away, her attention turning to Sango. The nervous woman blinked several times as both Kagome and Inuyasha looked at her.

"M-me first?" she squeaked out, pulling away. Her eyes traveled down to Inuyasha's erection, eyes widening slightly. Kagome knew from their numerous conversations on the subject that Inuyasha was huge in Sango's eyes. While Kagome was glad her friend was able to experience a man with a larger than average size, she wished the man wasn't her husband. Life had a funny way of tossing an uppercut when you weren't expecting it.

But there wasn't anything Kagome could do about the situation but make the best of it. So that's exactly what she did. Kagome knew some succubi who were attracted to women as much as men. She wasn't one of them. That didn't mean she had no experience with women, just very little. Luckily, her skills didn't seem to dull from lack of use. Using her fingers and mouth, Kagome did her best to relax and prepare Sango. From the soft moans and small shifts of her body, Kagome figured she was doing a decent enough job. Once she figured Sango was wet enough, Kagome pulled away from the gasping woman to find Inuyasha staring at her with a surprised expression. Suddenly self-conscious, Kagome flushed a deep red. "What?" she asked, finding it hard to meet his gaze.

Inuyasha shook his head slowly. "Err… nothing. I just… wasn't expecting… uh… that."

"Well were you just going to shove it in her without _any_ foreplay? She's different than me."

"I—"

She cut him off with a wave of her hand. "This isn't important. Just—" The words caught in her throat. Inuyasha didn't waste any more time. Crawling between Sango's legs, he positioned himself at her entrance and—Kagome looked away at the last moment. Though she could avert her eyes, it was hard to ignore what was happening. It didn't take long before Sango was making it clear how much she was enjoying herself. The swaying of the bed below Kagome didn't help matters. Kagome didn't know how much time had passed before she forced herself to look over. Inuyasha had his mouth slightly agape, breathing heavily as he stared down at Sango, making small, forceful thrusts into her. Sango had her legs wrapped around him, pulling him closer to her. Discomfort washed over Kagome. It was the first time she had ever truly been uncomfortable being so close to sex. The situation made her realize that, for the first time, _she_ wasn't the center of attention. One man and two women was something new to her and she had no idea what to do, not with Sango and Inuyasha looking like they did. The awkward atmosphere between them had evaporated. Now, they were going at it without a care in the world, disturbing Kagome's feelings even more.

Inuyasha pulled his attention away from Sango long enough to notice she wasn't doing anything. "Kagome," he gasped out, not breaking his rhythm. Shoulders stiffening, she looked over at him to find him pointing. She knew immediately what he was asking. A quick glance over to Sango told her she was expecting it. _That's right. She did this with Miroku a lot in the past._ Still, just because _she_ was comfortable with it didn't mean Kagome was. Even so, Kagome cautiously crawled over to them. She couldn't help but notice the grin on Inuyasha's face before turning her back to him. Gripping the bed frame tightly, she lowered herself towards Sango's waiting mouth. Kagome had never liked oral sex unless she was the one giving it. Yes, it felt fantastic, but it served no purpose. She couldn't feed from it, so why waste the time? Inuyasha had offered several times at the beginning of their relationship, but eventually stopped asking after her constant refusals. Sango's skilled tongue quickly showed her how much she had been missing. She had to bite her lip to prevent from calling out as the foreign tongue probed her slit before teasingly running along the inside.

_She's gotten better,_ Kagome thought as she fought to keep her breathing relatively steady. Her knuckles were white as she squeezed the wood frame tightly. The last thing she wanted to do was show she was enjoying herself; especially if she _was_. This was a special situation. She refused to let her relationship with Inuyasha turn into one like Miroku and Sango.

"I'm going to cum!" Inuyasha warned in a strained voice. It came as a shock to Kagome. Only a few minutes had passed, and that was a generous estimate. Kagome always had an orgasm during sex. She couldn't image having sex without one. It almost made her pity Sango. _It's because of the link. If I was a regular woman, would he only last that long with me as well?_ Maybe at first, but she doubted he would be like this all the time. This _was_ the first time he had sex without a link to a succubus in years. Kagome's thoughts returned to the present as Sango gasped below her. Seconds later, she felt something hot hit the small of her back. Looking over her shoulder, she gave Inuyasha a puzzled look. One look told her all she needed to know. Giving his cock several more pumps, a few more weak spurts of cum dribbled out onto Sango's belly.

Quickly rolling off Sango, both women glared at him, outraged. Kagome was the first to speak. "What are you doing!?"

"Why did you pull out?!" Sango cried a half second after Kagome.

"I missed?" he replied with a grin. The grin quickly faded at Kagome's furious look. "Look, I was only having a little fun, okay? I won't do it again."

"_Fun?_ We aren't here to have _fun_ Inuyasha. We're here so Sango isn't possessed by a malicious demon and so that our _daughter _can safely complete her ritual."

"Okay, okay, I got it," he said, leaning away slightly. Once more, Kagome got the strange feeling that something wasn't right. Inuyasha was acting funny. He sounded and acted the same, but his general attitude seemed… off. Once more, before she could think more into it, he turned her attention onto something else. This time, it was because he was limp once more. Repressing a sigh, Kagome moved towards him again. "Maybe you two… together," he suggested lightly, a small smile forming as she looked up in annoyance.

_He's purposefully trying to piss me off!_ She had no idea _why_ he was trying so hard. All she knew was that it was working. Maybe because it always seemed like she was pushing him into what he considered to be infidelity. By pretending to enjoy it, he got back at her. She could understand why that would make him angry with her, but it wasn't her fault these situations happened. If there was another way, she would definitely take it, no matter how challenging. To be angry at her for something that was out of her control was unfair. Besides, their definition of infidelity differed. While Inuyasha considered doing anything sexual with another woman besides a wife as infidelity, Kagome considered infidelity to be when the husband performed sexual actions with another woman for his own selfish pleasure. Inuyasha didn't sleep with Kikyo for his own reasons, so it shouldn't have been an issue. _Something is definitely wrong. Is it because he's in control?_ Inuyasha was definitely the one holding the power. While she didn't believe he would refuse them if they fought back, he was abusing the power he held. Both women needed him and he knew it. _The Inuyasha I know wouldn't do this…_ A frightening thought crept into her thoughts. What if this _was_ Inuyasha? Had the incident with Kikyo affected him more than she figured it had? She thought back to the night where they had discussed threesomes before, how excited he was. He later laughed it off as s joke, but maybe it _wasn't_. Had he seen her expression and quickly changed it to a joke? Inuyasha certainly wasn't a stranger to them. After all, he lived with both Anna and Eiko for most of his college years and they made no effort to hide that they rarely slept in separate beds, nor that they were the only ones Inuyasha was with. The more she followed down this train of thought, the more her stomach knotted itself. Did Inuyasha lock away a part of himself to be with her? The thought made her queasy. Kagome gave up a large part of who she was, but she did it by _choice_. It would make her feel terrible if she found out Inuyasha forced himself to change in order to satisfy her desire. He never had to change who he was to make her love him. There would be some major differences. For one thing, they would never have married. Instead, they would have probably continued to have a relationship like Sango and Miroku shared. After having experienced the joy and challenge a married life could bring, Kagome couldn't possibly see herself being happy in that sort of relationship with Inuyasha, but then again, she wouldn't have known how great it could be. _But we _are_ married! What if he starts thinking I'm okay with this? Or worse, what if he _wants_ our relationship to be like this?_ Today was a special circumstance. Emotions were already high before Sango came into the picture, so what they were doing now was easy for her to set aside. If Inuyasha wanted to start adding people to their lovemaking on a regular basis… _That's not going to happen,_ she thought firmly. The situation with Sango was one thing. Adding people solely for the sake of his own pleasure was something else entirely, and it wasn't going to happen.

She didn't have time to think on other things too much. It took some awkward maneuvering on both her and Sango's part in order to bring Inuyasha back to life once more. It became easier as it grew, Sango focusing on the tip while Kagome had her attention on the shaft and balls. Even though he had just finished, he was ready to go faster than it had taken Kagome alone the first time.

Once more Sango was the focus of Inuyasha's attention. She was still on her back, but this time, her legs rested atop his shoulders. Her feet bounced gently in the air behind him as he gave quick, short thrusts. If Sango had any reservations about having sex with her best friend's husband, she wasn't showing it. No, she was enjoying herself fully now, her moans and cries of pleasure louder than ever. Her eyes were locked with his as she passionately urged him on.Propped up on one arm, Kagome lay on her side, watching intently. The longer she watched, the more confused about her feelings she became. The sights and sounds of sex were causing her succubus blood to boil. Each passing moment, her irritation towards Sango increased. When was it going to be _her_ turn? Kagome's desire to experience the pleasure Sango was feeling was starting to consume her. In his aroused state, Kagome could sense the red energy bubbling to the surface. It was maddening to realize how close she was, but unable to taste it. Even worse, that precious energy would be wasted on Sango who could never appreciate its effects. Ideas she had long suppressed or rejected began to surface once more. Her thoughts of 'Inuyasha is my husband, he should only be with me!' were quickly morphing into, 'Inuyasha is my husband, he should be with me first!' The fact that this was Sango's second time infuriated her!

Excitement flooded Kagome as Inuyasha grew close, his pace increasing as he gasped for breath. She could tell Sango was close too, but judging by how Inuyasha looked, she would fall short of an orgasm. Kagome felt a twinge of pity. Not just for her friend, but human women in general. Sex was just so short with them. With a loud grunt, Inuyasha gave his final thrust into the moaning woman. Sango couldn't stop the disappointed expression from appearing as Inuyasha emptied his hot seed into her. She had been _so_ close to her own orgasm that stopping now seemed criminal. Inuyasha lowered her legs back against the bed but kept himself inside her for awhile longer. After a few minutes, he pulled out. White liquid followed him out.

"Thank you," Sango whispered, finally managing to catch her breath as she propped herself up on an elbow. Her eyes flickered to both Inuyasha and Kagome, thanking each in turn. At the same time, her free hand rested against her stomach. "We should know in an hour or so if the contact is completed or not."

Kagome forced a smile. "It's no problem." _Yes, finally! It's my turn! _She hated how quickly she slid back into the person she tried so hard to change from, but the atmosphere was too overwhelming, even for her. She could keep control over herself, even with the sounds and sights mere inches from her. But now there was the sharp _smell_ of sex that permeated the room. The latest onslaught against her senses simply overwhelmed the remaining defenses.

"Are you sure one time will be enough?" Inuyasha asked, eyeing Sango as he backed away. The first thing Kagome noticed was the fact he was still hard. That excited Kagome even _more._ It happened every once in awhile, his half-demon stamina was coming out. It also meant the next time was going to be amazing. Some of the best sex they had was when he was in this state. _And I'm up next!_

"Uh… well…" Sango shot Kagome a questioning look. Kagome knew what Sango was asking. She didn't want to know if one time would be enough. She already knew the answer to that. What she wanted was another go.

"Once is enough. The demon's magic will take affect soon," Kagome answered, annoyance in her voice. _More importantly… me!_ It took a great deal of effort to keep from staring at Inuyasha's erection. That didn't stop her from constantly sneaking peeks. Her heart raced in anticipation.

"Still, I wonder if we should make sure…" His voice drifted off. Kagome couldn't believe what she was hearing. It was one thing for Sango to want another go. Inuyasha was great in bed, so it was to be expected. However, hearing Inuyasha say it was the last thing she expected. It took her a few seconds to realize they were both staring at her, obviously waiting for her to answer. _No, no, and a thousand times no!_ It was _her_ turn! Sango had already gone twice! Her eyes gravitated towards Inuyasha's erection once more, understanding the sacrifice she would make saying 'yes.' Then, she glanced up at Sango. She was trying her best not to appear eager at the prospect of another go with Inuyasha, but her eyes kept finding themselves staring at the same place. But Kagome already had her answer…

With Inuyasha resting comfortably on his back, Sango happily bounced atop him. This time, Kagome refused to be left out. Inuyasha's inexperience was painfully obvious compared to Sango. Still, he was trying his best, his tongue probing along her slit as she hovered over his face. While wonderful, it wasn't here her attention was currently focused. She was having a hell of a time trying to kiss Sango who refused to slow her up and down motion enough to allow a good connection. It irked Kagome considering Sango was the one who initiated it. Wrapping her arms around Sango's neck, Kagome held her energetic friend down long enough to firmly press her mouth against hers. Their tongues entwined, moving from one mouth to the other. They broke every few seconds to gasp for air. Despite Kagome's pressure against her shoulders, Sango refused to hold still, her hips grinding in forward and back motions against Inuyasha. Sensing her friend's impatience, Kagome released her. Immediately, Sango began pounding herself down against Inuyasha once more. Instead, Kagome focused on Sango's bouncing breasts, running her hands over them, pressing against them as she leaned forward to flick her tongue over the nipple. Sango's joy over the attention was immediate. She was almost screaming in pleasure. A few minutes later, she _was_ screaming as her body quivered in orgasm. Kagome realized immediately that Inuyasha was nowhere near finished, not in his state. She counted three more from her friend before Inuyasha warned of his own impending orgasm. Impaling herself fully on his cock, Sango let out a loud gasp as Inuyasha came once more.

While the two relished in the bliss of their orgasms, Kagome pressed her lips tightly together. It was wonderful that they were enjoying themselves, but she couldn't help but wonder when it was going to be _her_ turn.

*******************

Inuyasha was gone. Not permanently of course, that was beyond his capabilities. Ryuu knew this as soon as he took control of his body. It was pathetic to think that it took him this long to gain control of a single human, but the seal that separated his power from Inuyasha's mind could only be broken if Inuyasha allowed it. At the beginning, Ryuu had a feeling that something was going to happen. His chance to take control was coming, he had to be ready. So he spent the past few days observing, memorizing how his unwilling host acted. It wouldn't be perfect, but it didn't have to be. The act only needed to fool the others around him for a few hours.

The moment Inuyasha broke the seal protecting his mind; the demons power squelched his consciousness into near nothingness. Inuyasha was completely unaware of the world around him, cut off from the senses of his body. Oh, he would eventually learn to project his consciousness like Ryuu was able to, but not for some time. By then, the 'Ryuu' as he was now would be gone. The moment his powers flowed freely throughout the body, Ryuu knew that the situation that allowed his freedom was no accident. No, his True Self had arranged it with help of his allies. He also knew why his True Self had done this. For the first time in his short existence, Ryuu had a purpose.

Bedding both women at the same time wasn't necessary, in fact, only the human woman was truly necessary for him to complete his purpose. But Ryuu found the idea amusing. Not the pleasure aspect of it, but rather the anguish it would cause both Inuyasha and his parasitic succubus lover later. Oh how he wished he could be around to see it! Ryuu's sudden desire to inflict pain and suffering on Inuyasha wasn't one of his own will, but rather the will of his True Self that immediately began to seep into him the moment he became aware of its presence. Inuyasha wasn't even the real target, the succubus bitch was. She was the one to tear the True Self into the fragments of power he was today. To hurt her, the True Self simply needed to hurt him. The mental anguish of seeing her lover tortured emotionally and mentally was far more agonizing than any physical pain. And now she had a daughter as well…

Though Ryuu had no personal qualms with the succubus, he felt a certain pleasure seeing her in discomfort. So he did his best to tease her, to take her feelings and twist them around his finger, tightening them until they were about to break. It was laughably easy being in her lover's body. To the succubus, her lover had no reason to screw the human woman more than once. In her mind, the contract was complete and technically, it was. However, his True Self wanted as much power transferred into the new body as possible. The woman who now carried this new body wasn't a succubus, meaning the only way to transfer the energy between the two was short, numerous bursts. Ryuu had been a little worried at first. It would have been difficult to transfer the required energy had the human woman refused numerous pairings. Luckily, she seemed to have no reservations with going more than once. He didn't have to use magic to encourage her, meaning he could transfer more to the body. The confusion, anger and jealousy on the succubus' face were far more pleasurable than the physical act of sex. Ryuu could barely hold in the laughter as he made it seem like her lover preferred the human woman over her. He didn't have to try too hard. To Ryuu, the human woman _was_ the better choice between the two. Of course, the succubus had a radiant, otherworldly beauty due to her magic, but that had no effect on him. No, he was judging by physical means only and the human woman was superior. Their faces were equal in looks, but there was a big difference in body. Unlike the succubus, the human's body was firm, toned by carefully planned exercise. She was a warrior, no doubt about it. The human also had larger breasts, something he could never quite understand. The succubus had the ability to change her appearance to some extent. His True Self had enough memories of succubi to know that it was a rare sight to have a succubus with such a… petite figure. Then again, it was rare for a succubus to play marriage, which this one seemed perfectly content with trying.

Ryuu once more had to hold back laughter. _Yes, this is some marriage,_ he thought sarcastically as he continued his mindless thrusting into the human woman. He never bothered to understand human rituals. Many were merely superficial and held no real power. However, Ryuu knew that it was _supposed_ to bind a male and female human together sexually. He wondered if the uselessness came from the fact there were no penalties of breaking the ritual. Humans truly were ignorant if they believed something like marriage held power.

The human was a noisy one during sex. While Ryuu knew her moans of pleasure were undoubtedly attractive to a male, her whimpers and groans wore at his patience. Luckily, Ryuu quickly discovered the best way to silence the woman was to give her mouth something else to do. As it were, he just so happened to have another body to help him. Though the succubus never openly complained, Ryuu could see the impatience and dissatisfaction in her eyes as her human friend lowered her head between the others legs once more. No, she wanted to be in the human's position. While Ryuu enjoyed playing with the demons emotions, he knew that he needed to be wrapping things up soon. He had managed to put only a fraction of his available power into the human. His True Self would have wanted more, but Ryuu needed it to keep Inuyasha's consciousness suppressed. The more he put into the woman, the harder it was. Besides, he had other things he needed to accomplish.

So that was why his fourth time with the human was the last. Fortunately, she seemed more than content to pass the torch. For a human, her stamina was to be commended. Over an hour had passed since they began. Hovering over her, he gasped for breath as he pushed as much of his demonic energy into her as he could. Like her, he was covered in sweat. Not from the strain of physical activity, but the mental strain of keeping Inuyasha down. The human made a weak whimper as he slid from her wet opening before relaxing against the bed. She closed her eyes, still breathing hard. He knew she wasn't going to fall asleep that fast, but she soon would be. A stealthy sleep spell would ensure it. He didn't want her getting involved with what happened next. Ryuu forced himself to take a deep breath, concentrating and optimizing what energy he had left to work with. Opening his eyes again, he was thankful to see he had managed to keep himself hard. It would speed things up with the succubus. Turning his attention to the succubus, he found her sitting near the edge of the bed farthest from him, an unhappy expression on her face.

"Having fun?" she asked, deadpan, arms crossed. For whatever reason, she hadn't participated in his last go with the human.

Ryuu smiled sweetly. "Yes, actually." The answer caught her off guard. Speechless, she just gaped dumbly at him. He held his smile. The look on her face gave him more pleasure than the human had in the past hour. He didn't want to stop there. "I'd forgotten how much fun adding a second person could be."

"Well I'm glad you're having fun," she said sourly, finally finding her voice. Oh, she wasn't happy. He could tell the lust that she had been struggling to control for the past hour had subsided slightly. She was able to think a little more clearly now.

_Which means the things I do and say here will have an even greater affect._ His excitement made his borrowed heart race. Widening his smile, he continued. "Perhaps we should do this more often."

Now she _looked_ angry. "I'm not in the mood for jokes Inuyasha."

Ryuu forced himself to frown. It was difficult considering how much he was enjoying himself. "I'm not joking."

"You're not?" The succubus pulled a one-eighty, the anger dissipating into a hurt look as she continued to stare at him. "You're really serious, aren't you?" Her voice nearly broke as she spoke.

He continued to hold his frown. "You were the one who asked if I was having fun."

"Yeah but I –"

"It doesn't have to be all the time," he interrupted. "Once a week, or even every other week would be fine."

"Once a week?" she repeated numbly. She was several shades paler than she normally was.

Ryuu felt unbelievably giddy. Even with his True Self's memories, this was quickly becoming his favorite memory of them all. It helped that this particular succubus conjured a deep, endless hatred seeded in the very essence of his True Self. Right now, he had sunk a blade deep into the woman's emotions. All he had to do now was twist…

He followed her eyes over to Sango and easily followed her train of thought. She was a mess mentally. Her carefully constructed barriers had all collapsed, allowing him a clear view into her thoughts. Even more, she was in such a state of emotional chaos that she didn't even notice his presence. He had to take a deep breath, lip quivering from the untold bliss he was feeling. _And I can push this so much more!_

"Of course it doesn't have to be with just Sango." She turned her attention back to him. "There's also Anna and Eiko. Not to mention Kikyo." The mention of her sister didn't quite have the effect he was looking for. Instead of sinking deeper into the horror and depression, she became combative, some color returning to her face.

"What is _wrong_ with you?"

"Wrong with me?" Ryuu repeated, unexpectedly on the defense. Instantly, her defenses were back up and he found himself locked from her mind once more. The remaining lust that clouded her had been expunged, leaving her mind sharp.

"Yes! Wrong with you! This isn't like you at all! I know this past week has been stressful in ways no one could have expected, but this isn't you! Suddenly wanting a threesome, with Sango of all people!? The fact that you _enjoyed_ it and have yet to touch me once! Now you're saying that you want them more often? And with my sister of all people! My _sister_ Inuyasha!" She was furious, her words farther fueling her rage. "What kind of person do you think I am?"

Despite being caught off guard, Ryuu couldn't help but mentally smile. The sudden realization that he had underestimated her didn't cause him to despair. No, toying with something that didn't fight back was boring. _I understand why my True Self hates you so much. You are truly worthy of our hate._ It was the highest praise he could think to give. When the time came, it would make destroying her that much more satisfying. Ryuu focused back on the present. That would come later. Right now, he needed to start his counterattack. "I could ask you the same thing." Before she could say anything, he continued in a mocking tone, "'Inuyasha, I know we are married, but I really need you to sleep with my sister. When you're done with that, can you also knock up one of our closest friends? Oh yeah, and remember that ritual that our daughter has to go through? I'm going to need you to come along if you don't want me to participate in the orgy afterwards.'" He returned to a normal voice. "It's like I've become nothing more than a tool so you can fix other people's problems!"

"It's not like that at all!"

"But it _is!_ We're married, yet you have me sleep with other women? Then you tell me you're _okay_ with me doing it?"

Once more, Kagome was back on the defensive. "These are extraordinary circumstances. You think I _enjoy_ having you sleep with other women?"

"Maybe you do. You certainly weren't complaining when I was fucking Sango… over and over and over again." _Smack!_ Kagome's smack left Ryuu stunned, his head turned to the side. Despite her statue, she managed to pack a lot of power into her blow. Still, the pain was nothing compared to the elation he felt when he saw tears running down her face. He had won. There was little she could do now but weather the coming blows.

"It's not supposed to be like this!" she sobbed, trying in vain to wipe away the tears.

_Now to really twist the knife._ "You're right. This isn't a marriage. I was stupid to think this could work."

Kagome stared at him in horror through tear-streaked eyes. "Are you—" Her words caught in her throat. As hard as she tried, she couldn't choke them out, only causing her to cry harder.

"Breaking up?" Ryuu finished coldly. "Yeah, I think I am."

*******************

**I am updating early due to the coming finals week. With this, I have depleted the buffer of finished chapters. I haven't been writing much lately so the next chapter could be awhile. As I've been working solely on this story for the past several months, I feel a little burnt out. I'm still going to work on it, but the updates will be more sporadic and less frequent.**

**Thanks to everyone who has stuck around this long and many thanks to those who take the time to review. I appreciate it.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any characters associated with it. This story is rated for a mature audience.**

Seeing the succubus reduced to tears held an immense satisfaction for Ryuu, yet it also made him remorseful. _The fun had to end eventually._ Oh, there were a few more things he could do, but none would bring additional satisfaction. She was a broken toy and it was time to throw her away. Her sobbing wasn't the only thing that spurred him to continue with the next task. In the back of his mind, his True Self urged him on. While he couldn't actually communicate with his True Self, it could still project its will onto him. After all, Ryuu was nothing more than a fragment of a larger whole.

Things would be close. The remaining power Ryuu had at his command was rapidly dwindling. Soon, he wouldn't be able to suppress Inuyasha's consciousness any longer. Once he lost control, he would never be able to gain control again. While the succubus sobbed, Ryuu glanced over at Sango. The contract was complete. He could sense the demon magic inside the human conjugating on one spot. In days, the True Self would merge itself with its new vessel and finally breach the mortal realm. But the True Self was still in danger. The vessel was, unfortunately, mortal as well. The human and the succubus would never allow it to live, not with the powers it would posses. As soon as it was born, they could easily kill it with no repercussions. The human would be free and the last remaining chance for his True Self to cross over would be lost, another reason why Ryuu was here.

Having sex with the succubus would have been simpler without the mental anguish he caused, but he couldn't deny himself the pleasure of tearing her down. Even his True Self seemed content, almost approving, of his actions. It was odd that a succubus could be put into a state where sex was impossible, but Ryuu didn't fret over it. The problem was easily rectified, even if it was costly.

Taking a deep breath, he released it softly before looking at the succubus. "Kagome," he whispered in a soothing tone. Trying to catch her breath, she wiped her eyes an looked up. The instant she made eye contact, he quickly pressed a finger onto the middle of her forehead. In her weakened state, the spell took much less energy than he had figured it would. The effects were instantaneous. Her eyes took on a clouded appearance and her breathing returned to normal as her sobbing ceased. "Kagome?" he repeated, this time in a normal tone. Her gaze never changed. Smiling, he nodded to himself. "Much better."

Shifting his position on the bed, he got to his knees. He was erect, still relishing the bliss of the mental trauma he just inflicted. A wide grin on his face, he grabbed the base and twirled it in circles, catching the attention of the spelled woman. Slowly, her gaze lowered. "You want it?" he cooed softly. That was all he needed to do. With surprising speed, the woman jumped him. He didn't resist as she wrestled him to the bed, which ended up being half atop the sleeping human. In a single movement, the succubus straddled him and impaled herself on his erect cock. The bed below him creaked angrily as she violently pounded herself down atop him. Besides the creaking bed, the room was utterly silent but for the heavy gasps of air from the two and the occasional moan of discomfort from the human woman. _So this is the true form of the succubus._ With her higher consciousness suppressed, she was acting on pure instinct. In her current state, she would consume any number of men. A dozen, two dozen, a thousand, she would continue endlessly until her supply of reachable food was sucked dry. Unfortunately for her, Ryuu would be her only one in this state. There was no need for him to cut the link between the succubus and him. In her heightened state, the pleasure she felt was magnified. Crying out as she grew close to climax, she stared down at him, unbridled lust in her eyes. She had every intention of sucking every drop of life from him. As far as Ryuu was concerned, she could try. In fact, the more she consumed, the better off he would be. So when she finally did cum, his hand grabbed her sides, holding her down atop him as his energy spilled into her. Her lustful yell quickly turned to a shrill cry of panic. The lust faded from her eyes as her reason returned.

"Wha—" she gasped out, no doubt surprised to find herself in her current position. It took her a second to process what was happening. "No!" she cried out. There was a brief struggle, one that Ryuu easily won. He kept her firmly in place atop him as her body continued to absorb the energy of her lover, laced with Ryuu's strong demonic energy. Gradually, her movements became sluggish and she wobbled weakly atop him before finally collapsing forward onto his chest. "Y-you," she whispered weakly. "Aren't Inuyasha…" Her eyes gradually closed before she became limp atop him. Taking a deep breath, Ryuu released it slowly as he let his body go limp as well. Breathing was a little difficult with the added weight, but he didn't move. He was exhausted. Poisoning the succubus had drained a fair portion of his free energy. But he couldn't rest now, there was still much to do.

Shoving the limp body off him, he rolled off the bed and headed to the shower.

Miroku was upset. Standing at the edge of the playground, he tapped his finger impatiently against his arm as his gaze continually wandered back towards the direction of Inuyasha's apartment. _I should be there._ He knew it was a ridiculous notion. Physically, there was nothing he could do, but he felt that he might have been able to provide emotional support for Sango. She seemed so disgusted in the idea of having sex with Inuyasha. Knowing her, they would have an awkward go and be done with it. In his mind, he imagined Sango on the bed, embarrassed and bored as Inuyasha inevitably focused his attention on Kagome. He had been tempted to press to be included. After all, Sango was his – primary – girlfriend and he had never hidden his fantasies about Kagome he had in high school. But Inuyasha wasn't sleeping with them for his own reasons, and Miroku understood why he didn't want either him or Yumi there, especially Yumi. While thankful Inuyasha was doing it, he still didn't have to enjoy being kicked out. Being stuck with babysitting duty on top of it was like adding insult to injury. He liked kids, but Yumi was… clingy.

"Why are you upset?" she asked sweetly. She was sitting on the small wall that kept the mulch inside the playground, her brown eyes gazing curiously up at him.

"I'm not upset," he answered, not looking down at her. _Like I could actually tell you why. Inuyasha would kill me if he found out._

"Uh-huh," Yumi said in a disbelieving tone. Miroku glanced down to see the young girl had narrowed her eyes, peering up at him.

"What?" he asked, suddenly on defense by the girls stare. "I'm not."

Yumi gave a very adult sounding sigh. "If you don't want to tell me, fine."

Miroku frowned. "Why don't you go play with the other kids?" he said, making shooing motions with his hands. Yumi didn't look impressed with the gesture.

"What am I, four?"

"Aren't you?"

She glared at him unhappily. "No."

"Err, well… go play anyways."

"Are you angry my dad is having sex with Sango?"

Miroku nearly choked on his own spit. Coughing, he looked around frantically. Luckily, no one was close enough to hear. "Excuse me?"

Yumi frowned. "You heard me."

Eyes wide, Miroku stared down in shock at the small girl. _Jesus Inuyasha, what the hell kind of daughter did you raise?_ No, if he had to guess, it was Kagome's influence at work here. Still, it was frightening. Yumi might have had the body of a child, but her mind and speech were of someone in their twenties. "How did you…?" His voice trailed off, his mind still trying to orient itself.

Sighing, Yumi shook her head. "Just because I'm told to go to my room doesn't mean I'm going to do it. I'm not a little kid."

_Says who?_ Miroku felt his throat tighten. There was no doubt in his mind that he was a little paler as well. "So the entire time—"

"I was listening, yep." Her smile beamed brightly up at him.

Unconsciously, Miroku tugged at his shirt near his neck as he glanced around uncomfortably. "Is that so… Is that so…"

Yumi simply shook her head, letting out a hefty breath. "I just don't understand adults. First Mom and Dad go on about how threesomes are bad for people who are married or dating, and then they go off and have one!"

Miroku glanced around anxiously. "Err… I really don't think I should be talking to you about this stuff." _I pray no one else is listening._ Luckily, it still seemed like no one was close enough to hear.

"Please, Mom told me things a lot worse than this," she said with a roll of her eyes.

"R-really?" Despite himself, Miroku suddenly found himself curious. _God damn it Miroku, that's your best friend's _wife_! Not to mention you are talking with his _daughter_._ Magical creatures were scary things indeed.

A sly smile crossed Yumi's lips. She had undoubtedly picked up on his curiosity. "You interested?"

"N-no," Miroku answered after a seconds hesitation, quickly looking away. Gradually, his eyes wandered back to her. She was still smiling.

"Ice cream."

"Huh?"

"If you get me ice cream, I'll tell you."

He blinked. "Seriously?" He had forgotten that underneath her adult mannerisms and speech, Yumi was still just a kid.

"Chocolate." She held out her hand.

He took it, giving it a quick shake. "Done."

Hoping to her feet, Yumi quickly brushed her butt off and headed off towards the park exit. She glanced back over her shoulder. "And I want a cherry."

"Okay."

"On a cone."

"It's yours."

"The waffle kind."

"Your wish is my command."

Smiling, she nodded and continued forward. It was only after he started after her that the full realization of what had just happened hit him. He would have signed away his soul if she asked for it, and for what? Stories he had no business hearing. But it wasn't that he wanted to hear them. Well, he _was_ curious_,_ but he certainly didn't want to learn about these things from a child. Talking to Yumi made him feel like he _needed_ to know them. He remembered Kagome talking about how Yumi's powers were starting to appear. A chill ran down his back. _If she's this influential now, what will she be like when she's older?_ He pitied men everywhere.

Clutching his chest, Ryuu leaned heavily against the counter, staring at the mirror. It was getting harder to keep control. Inuyasha's subconscious was doing its damndest to resist him. It was only a matter of time until it succeeded in pushing him out. _There's still so much I have to do._ Running a shaky hand over his face, he took a deep breath to steady himself. Leaving the bathroom, he paused to look over at the bed. Sparing a few minutes and several drops of precious energy, he changed maneuvered the succubus and her human friend to more comfortable positions on the bed. It wasn't out of kindness, but rather to keep up appearances. Cradled in each other's arms, they both seemed content, a satisfied expression on their faces. If anyone looked at them, they would see two women who appeared to have had the most wonderful time of their lives. For the human, that might have been true. The succubus on the otherhand… _She'll survive… _It was almost disappointing. Yes, his energy was poisonous to a succubus, but she hadn't consumed enough to be life threatening. Even if she _had_ consumed enough to be a serious threat, it was a simple matter for a land god to remove.

Quickly dressing in fresh clothes, Ryuu left the room, closing the door behind him. Moving to the kitchen, he glanced at the clock. Things were proceeding just as planned. If his True Self was right, then the next part would begin—No sooner had he finished the thought when there was a knock at the door. A smile spread across his face. Whoever was helping his True Self was right on the money. Moving over to the door, he opened it to find Miroku and Yumi. Miroku looked surprised to see him.

"Err… I didn't think you would be—"

"We finished a little while ago."

"And?"

Ryuu forced himself to look away, scratching the back of his neck in an attempt to look embarrassed. "It's done. Kagome confirmed it herself."

Miroku let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you. Really… I know it was hard."

"Don't mention it," he said, forcing a smile. _Go away pesky human, I don't have time for this!_ "Actually, can I ask a small favor?"

"Anything!"

He pointed a thumb over his shoulder towards the bedroom. "Could you take care of things here? They're resting right now."

Miroku's eyes widened. "R-resting?" It was understandable. It was hard to imagine a normal human up and walking around after exhausting two women, especially when one was a succubus.

Ryuu forced a blush. "Yeah, a perk of being half-demon I guess."

"You guess…" Ryuu could tell the human was dripping with envy.

"Just keep an eye out on them. Sango might want something to eat when she wakes up too." Ryuu moved off to the side so they could enter. "She really worked up a sweat."

Miroku paled slightly, undoubtedly conjuring various mental images in his mind. "Uh, okay." He paused a moment. "Where are you going?"

"Kagome wanted me to take Yumi to the ritual site so her mother could prepare."

"Oh, okay." Miroku scratched his nose, looking around the house. His face flushed a deep red at the mention of Kagome's name.

"Well, I'll take her off your hands."

"Ah—" Yumi began as he gently nudged her out the door.

"Inuyasha," Miroku said, stopping them. Rage flashed through Ryuu. The only thing that stopped him from killing the annoying human was that killing him would be a waste of energy. _If I only went a little easier on the human woman…_ Hindsight was such a bitch.

"Yes?" he answered through clenched teeth.

"Thanks again."

"Right," Ryuu said dismissively, finally managing to close the door behind him. He took a deep breath, letting the rage dissipate. The hard parts were all finished. The only worry he had now was running out of energy before he could complete the remaining tasks. Beside him, Yumi looked up at him with suspicious eyes.

"You're not my father."

Ryuu's eyes narrowed. "Oh, aren't you a clever one." He understood why his True Self considered her such a threat. Her powers were only now awakening and she had already seen through his disguise, something her mother had failed to do. While it would have been a waste to use magic on the human, it was a necessity on the girl. Pointing a finger at the girl, a white bolt shot from the tip and crackled around the child. Eyes rolling up into her head, she fell forward into his waiting arms. Hoisting her up, Ryuu took a shaky breath. _I don't have much time left._ To anyone who saw them, it looked like a father carrying his exhausted child home. Hiding his smile, Ryuu hurried off.

Miroku paced up and down the hall several times, biting the tip of his thumb as he thought. Stopping to stare at the door, he wrestled with himself. Was it okay for him to open it? It wasn't just Sango in there after all. Inuyasha had mentioned Kagome was resting and as far as he knew, succubi didn't sleep. That aside, did he really want to see the scene on the other side of the door? Just because he was okay with Sango sleeping with other men didn't mean he necessarily wanted to see it. Licking his lips, he finally steeled himself for whatever resided on the other side. Reaching forward, he gently tapped at the door, his mouth instantly going dry as he waited for a response. Silence answered him. Frowning, he tapped again, this time a little louder. He listened again for a response. Turning the knob, he gently pushed the door forward, his head close to the small crack he formed.

"Hello?" he whispered, not wanting to be too loud. When no one answered him, he pushed the door open wider. _Maybe she's in the shower,_ he thought as he took a step into the room. It was dark, the curtains closed tightly and the lights off. The room reeked of sweat and sex. Glancing over at the bathroom, he found it too was dark, the door open. _So much for that idea._ So if Kagome wasn't in the shower, where was she? Slowly, his eyes adjusted to the darkness. The open door provided some light, but not enough to illuminate the entire room. To his surprise, he found both women lying on the bed, arms wrapped around each other. Seeing them like they were, especially Sango, caused a twinge of jealousy. Both seemed to be _glowing_. Obviously, they had had a fantastic time. Miroku ran a shaky hand through his hair. _Well, this is a little unfair. Was I really expecting to be able to compete with a half-demon? Not to mention he has a succubus teaching him…_ Still, it didn't sit well with him. Sango had slept with other men before. She might have enjoyed their company too. However, she had always told him that sex with other men was bland. Watching her peaceful face, a memory floated to the surface. She was smiling brightly at him, her eyes seemingly sparkling in happiness. Miroku remembered it perfectly. It was shortly after she moved in and they had agreed to try a more serious relationship. They had just finished christening their bedroom, sweat from their activities beaded on her forehead. _'It's just as I suspected. Only you can make me feel this good.'_ The words had always provided him some comfort seemed hollow now. He never expected to have to compete with his best friend. _What am I talking about? There _is_ no competition. This was just a onetime thing… right?_ Seeing Sango and Kagome like they were, he wasn't sure anymore.

As gently as he could, he rested his hand on Sango's bare shoulder, giving it a small shake. Groaning, Sango waved him off. With a little more force, he tried again. With a louder groan, her eyes opened, blinking several times before focusing on him. "Miroku?" she questioned sleepily. "What are you—?"

Miroku's eyes glanced over at Kagome. She was still sleeping, or at least, what _looked_ like sleeping. Being a succubus, she could have been doing any number of things. _Maybe it's for the ritual later._ She was still breathing, so that meant she was fine, right? "How are you feeling?"

Sango gave a wide smile as she carefully untangled herself from Kagome and began to stretch. "Wonderful," she answered in a strained voice. Sitting up, the blankets fell from her chest, revealing her bare breasts. Her movements also disturbed the blankets over Kagome, pulling them down slightly. From his position, Miroku could easily make out the gentle swell of Kagome's breasts. Though he immediately pulled his gaze away, his body was already acting on the sight. A small twinge of guilt struck him as he mentally chastised himself for getting an erection at his friend's wife. It faded an instant later. _He slept with Sango. No reason for me to feel guilty over something small like catching a peek at his wife._ Taking a deep breath, he tried to calm himself. It wasn't working. Sango seemed oblivious to his erection. Giving a dry laugh, she ran a hand through her hair. "I never imagined the day would go like this."

Once more, Miroku's gaze wandered over to Kagome, this time to see if their conversation was disturbing her. It didn't seem like it was, but he didn't want to risk it. "Why don't you uh… get cleaned up and meet me out in the kitchen. I'll fix something for you to eat."

Smiling, she nodded as she stretched again. "I _am_ a little hungry," she yawned. Sliding out from under the covers, she headed towards the bathroom. Miroku watched as she moved, a slight sway in her stride. _She seems _really_ happy._ He never would have guessed Sango would be like this, not after the way he left her no more than an hour ago. His feelings on the subject were still conflicted. Had it been _that_ fantastic?

Sliding from the room, Miroku made his way to the kitchen. By the time Sango wandered in, he had managed to scrape up a few bowls of instant noodles. She gazed at him with a raised eyebrow, her eyes moving from him to the steaming bowls. "What?" he asked defensively. "They've done a lot for us already. I'm not going to cannibalize their kitchen as well."

Smiling, she just shook her head. "It's nothing." Without another word, she slid into the seat across from him. It took Miroku a few bites to realize Sango wasn't wearing the same thing she had been when she came in this morning. There was a slight height difference between her and Kagome, not to mention certain other… features. It surprised him she could even fit in her friend's clothes. Or maybe she didn't. The tank top she wore was left a lot of her midriff exposed and was tight against her, showing that she wasn't wearing anything under it. The light blue sweats were a little more forgiving, though they still hugged her figure. She must have noticed his gaze because her cheeks flushed pink. "What?"

"Err, nothing," he said, quickly returning his gaze down to his bowl. He wouldn't have called the silence after that awkward, but it certainly wasn't comforting. Eyes leaving his food, they rested once more on Sango. _I have to say… _something_!_ "So uh… how did things go?" _Wonderful Miroku. Bring _that_ up while we're eating._ He wondered if it was something he should _ever_ bring up. He didn't dwell on it. It was too late now.

She shifted in her seat unnervingly. "As well as things _could_ go considering the situation." Her face reddened. "Maybe a little better," she finished softly.

Miroku couldn't help it when his eyes automatically fell to her exposed stomach would be if the table hadn't blocked his view. "So you're…" He trailed off, letting the question hang.

"Pregnant? Yeah," Sango said, voice softer than it usually was. Both had stopped eating at this point. The atmosphere _was_ awkward now. Sango was the one who broke the silence. She was looking down at the table. "Things are going to be different between us now, aren't they?"

"I would be lying if I said no," he admitted reluctantly. She nodded sadly. Reaching across the table, he rested his hands atop hers. "But it doesn't change me being here for you. I'm going to help you through this. After – well, maybe we should take things one thing at a time."

Miroku hated the heavy atmosphere that had formed around them. Taking a deep breath, he patted her hands and smiled. "So, you had fun then?" he asked in a light tone. _Ugh, what am I saying?_ Even Sango seemed taken aback by the question and the lighthearted tone it was asked in.

"Yes," she answered, off-guard from the unexpected question.

"Oh?" he said, raising an eyebrow. Sango flushed red.

"D-do we really have to talk about this?" she asked, embarrassed. "Especially here."

"Okay. What do you want to talk about?" He waited patiently for her to answer, keeping a smile on his face as she frantically searched for something to talk about. While he waited, he tried thinking of something to talk about as well only to find he was having just as much trouble as she seemed to be having. It was more than a little troubling. For as long as he had been with Sango, he realized that he still knew little about her. Besides their shared interest in sex, he knew very little of her interests and hobbies. It was easy to see why their relationship had fallen apart so easily.

"I-I've never been with someone so large before," Sango said suddenly, her voice low. Her face was completely red in embarrassment. Miroku resisted the urge to laugh, mostly in pity at the lack of shared interests. _So sex talk it is._ "It was… different," she reluctantly finished.

"Honestly, I'm just surprised it wasn't awkward," he said, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Oh it was, at least, at first," Sango said quickly. "Kagome was the one who really got things going."

"Kagome… well, I want to say it's a surprise, but on the other hand…" He felt his face heat up. _Damn you Yumi._ The stories she told would have made sailors blush. Her age and matter-of-fact tone she had shared them with only made it worse. _I never should have listened…_

"It was comforting," Sango started slowly, her eyes on the table. "Being with people I knew for once. You would always bring in strangers, a different girl every time." She bit her lower lip gently. "Most of the time I only got to meet them a few minutes before we… you know."

"I'm sorry. I just never figured it mattered." He didn't mention that, for the most part, he hadn't known most of their partners too much longer than she did.

"It doesn't. It's just… nice."

Miroku knew already that this conversation was going to have a large impact on their relationship later down the road. He needed to tread cautiously. Despite everything, he still wanted to be with her. She was special. How many women would put up with a guy like him? Taking a deep breath, he picked his words carefully. He needed to make sure she knew he still wanted to be with her. "After you are free from your contract and we get married—"

Sango stopped him with a raised hand. "Miroku, I don't think we should get married."

"Eh?" His heart sunk as her words registered. "Why not? Isn't that why we're doing… this?" he asked, gesturing towards her stomach.

She rested her hands gently against her stomach. "I'm doing this for me. When I am free from this contract, I will be free, truly _free_ from the burden of my past." For a brief second, Sango had the look of a mother. She had the glow of a woman with infinite love and patience. It made him wish that the child inside her was his, not some… monstrosity. But the image faded as quickly as it formed.

Miroku was compelled to ask the question that ate away at him, even though he might not want to hear the answer. "Then… what about us?"

"Honestly… I don't know." Miroku felt like he had been stabbed in the heart. Sango was the only woman he had ever felt compelled to stay with. Losing her wasn't something that sat well with him. Despite everything, Sango smiled. "Besides, I don't see you as the type of guy to settle down and play the happy husband."

"Sango I—"

Reaching across the table, she set a finger on his lips, silencing him. "Answer me honestly. Would you be happy, _truly_ happy if it was just you and me in a 'normal' relationship?"

"We were like that for six months," he answered defensively.

"And offered the opportunity, you jumped at the chance to be with Avery."

"Like I explained before, she was a mage and—"

"I understand that, but magic aside, if I told you it was okay, would you still have slept with her?"

There was a few seconds pause as he mulled over possible answers. From the expression on her face, she already knew the answer. She was just waiting for him to confirm it. "Yes," he finally answered, lowering his eyes.

"That is why marriage isn't possible for us," Sango said firmly. "You enjoy sleeping with different women. I'm not faulting you for it; I'm only stating why we can't be in a relationship like Kagome and Inuyasha." She didn't mention anything about how well it was working for them. Seeing Miroku's dejected expression, she sighed deeply. "So I guess that leaves us with how things were before we moved in together."

Miroku looked up. "Huh?"

"Of course things won't be completely like they were. We're going to have to set some rules. For one thing, if you're going to bring another woman to bed, _I_ need to approve her as well." She crossed her arms with a tart expression on her face. "You're not the only one sleeping with her after all."

Miroku was still wheeling from her earlier statement. "Wait, wait, just so we're clear; you _want_ to have an open relationship?"

Sango gnawed at her lower lip. "I wouldn't say I _want_ it, but I accept it. I don't want you to be unhappy."

Miroku found himself shaking his head. "I don't want _you_ to be unhappy. You were the one who pushed for us to start acting like a normal couple! Now you suddenly say it's okay to not be? I don't want you to force yourself for my sake. I've been more than selfish over the years. I say it's your turn."

"You have your fun for less than a decade and in return I get the rest of your life? That hardly seems fair."

"It's time for me to grow up anyways."

Sango rolled her eyes. "Please, _you_ grow up? _That_ will be the day."

Scowling, he glared over at her. "You don't think I can?"

An amused smile crossed her lips. "Miroku, I _know_ you can't. You're always going to be that horny guy who can't keep your hands to yourself. And you know what? I fell in love with that horny guy."

Miroku could tell she was still torn over whether that was a positive or negative thing. Letting out his pent up breath, Miroku felt the tension drain from his shoulders. It was surprising at how tense he had been. A lot of stress had built up over the day. It was far from over, but he could relax knowing there was a future with Sango. At the end of the day, that's all that really mattered. "I really don't deserve you."

A wisp of a smile touched her lips. "I know."

Sweat ran down his face as Ryuu approached the warehouse. It had seemed closer on paper, but after walking the distance carrying the young succubus, he felt ready to drop dead. The sight of the massive warehouse spurred his tired legs forward with renewed vigor. He was running out of time…

Nearly stumbling on the few steps leading to one of the side doors, Ryuu turned the knob and slammed into the door with his shoulder. A loud crack resounded across the warehouse as the door impacted the concrete wall. Legs wobbled beneath him as he staggered into the massive structure. Inside, several men rose from their seated position on various crates, their machine guns moving over towards his direction.

A large squat man moved out from the center of the group, waving his arms to the others to lower their weapons before tugging on his white suit jacket. "Now, now gentlemen, that is no way to treat a guest." A wide smile plastered to his face, Edward Small waddled over towards the gasping Ryuu. "And you have come bearing gifts! Wonderful! Simply delightful!" he cried, holding his hands out to pluck the unconscious girl from his arms as Ryuu all but collapsed to his knees. Running his bulbous hand across the unconscious girl's cheek, Edward wore a wide grin as he examined her face closely. "And such a pretty gift as well. If only she were a few centuries older…"

Ryuu let out a painful gasp, holding his breath as he clutched his chest. The energy he needed to keep 'him' alive was nearly depleted. It was only a matter of minutes now. Turning his head up, he looked weakly up at the round man. "Our deal…"

Turning his attention away from the unconscious girl, Edward gave the sweating man an irritated glare. "Don't take me for a fool Naraku. I know the deal perfectly well. Trade the girl for your body, really, I thought you would want me to do something that was worth my time."

"My name is Ryuu," Ryuu gasped weakly, feeling the strength drain from his body. The floor was gradually getting closer.

Edward frowned. "Ah, that's right. Naraku gives personalities to all his little power fragments. Very well, 'Ryuu,' I will hold up my end of the bargain. The real question is, will Naraku and his little friends hold up their end?"

"He will, just as long as he doesn't get interrupted again." Ryuu paused for a moment, debating whether to press his luck. In the end, he didn't have much time left, so what did it matter? "After you make the trade, if you eliminate them—"

"I'm not some assassin," Edward interrupted darkly. "I will complete the transfer and let them be on their way. Anything else goes beyond our original agreement. It is not my job to keep them out of your business. That is yours; or rather Naraku's job." Ryuu let his head droop. It had been worth a shot. "And don't worry about Inuyasha. I'll make sure he stays safe… for the time being."

Ryuu nodded. That was the last thing he had been concerned about. His True Self wasn't finished with Inuyasha, not yet anyways. When he opened his mouth to speak, Ryuu found that he couldn't form the proper words. Vision darkening, his head dipped closer to the floor. He barely felt the cold concrete hit the side of his face before there was nothing.

**Wow, I completely forgot that I had this chapter. Uh… oops? I really need to start working on this again. It's been awhile so I probably need to reread it to see where I was. :P**


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any characters associated with it. This story is rated for a mature audience.**

**FYI: I wrote this chapter nearly three years after the previous one. While I still have my original notes, there will be some discrepancies – especially between this and the first story. More notes at the end.**

* * *

Miroku and Sango were still talking when the door burst open, causing them to jump in surprise. He was shocked to see Kagome's mother and sister appear.

"Where is Kagome?" her mother demanded, glancing around the kitchen as if she expected Kagome to materialize at her voice.

"In the bedroom," Miroku said pointing towards the closed door. Her mother stormed off down the hall, leaving the sister standing there. She nodded at the two, giving them a small smile before looking around the living room. "Is something wrong?"

"Kagome was supposed to bring Yumi an hour ago so we could set up." She paused, realizing something was missing. "Where's Yumi?"

"Inuyasha took her to wherever you are doing the ritual."

Kikyo frowned. "How would he know where it is?"

Miroku and Sango shared a look before he spoke up. Something was wrong. "I assumed Kagome told him."

"Kikyo, come quick!" her mother called, urgency in her voice. Sango and Miroku were both on their feet, following her into the bedroom. The older woman was straddling an unconscious Kagome, the covers thrown to the side. Kikyo flew to her mother's side. "She's been poisoned." There was an odd calm to her voice as her hands moved over her daughter's body. "Luckily, it appears it wasn't a strong dose."

Kikyo's head snapped over in their direction. Sango had her mouth covered, horrified by the news. "Who was the last person she slept with?" When the answer didn't come fast enough, she nearly shouted. "WHO?"

"J-just myself and Inuyasha!" Sango cried, a tear running down her face. Kikyo and her mother shared a look. The inclusion of Sango in bed did not go unnoticed.

"Together?"

"W-what?"

"Were the three of you together or did you sleep with her alone?"

"Together," Sango said, face slightly red.

"Tell me exactly what happened," Kagome's mother said, her attention still on her unconscious daughter. "And make sure to tell me _everything_."

Miroku shifted uncomfortably as he listened to Sango recap her early afternoon experience. The two succubae listened intently as she explained why she was even here in the first place. Neither one interrupted as her story moved on to Inuyasha's suggestion to fulfill both obligations at once. In the course of the story, Kagome's mother only stopped her once, asking her to go into more detail with the actual act. Sango kept glancing over at him over the course of her story. It was a challenge to keep up his neutral expression. He discovered that, while he was fairly certain he was fine with Sango being with another man, he didn't enjoy listening to the details. _At least I know I've got a little normalcy in me._ It didn't help that Sango seemed to really enjoy her time with him.

Kikyo was frowning when Sango finished. "One time would be enough to fulfill the contract."

"That's what Kagome said," Sango said, shifting uncomfortably. She glanced over at him from the corner of her eyes.

"Yet you continued three more times."

Sango cleared her throat uneasily. "Correct. It was so incredible… I asked Kagome if we could do it again."

"I find it hard that she would agree so readily," Kikyo said, crossing her arms.

"Inuyasha wished it as well." Both women shared a silent look.

Kagome's mother paused to look back at Sango. "Inuyasha did?"

Sango nodded. "Yes, it was the main reason why Kagome allowed it. By the third time, she looked completely into it. The uh… fourth… she just watched. She seemed a little irritated by then."

"What do you think?" Kikyo asked her mother, giving a worried look down at her sister.

"I think we've played right into our enemies hand."

"Enemy?" Miroku asked, straightening. "Remnants of the Order?"

Sango was shaking her head. "Impossible. We tracked down nearly everyone in a leadership role. The entire powerbase has been shattered that even the few that managed to escape would never be able to recover."

"No, this is something new. Whoever we are facing, they know a great many things about us." She looked over at Kikyo. "I always thought it was suspicious someone with vampiric traits was targeting us."

"But no one else has been killed."

"Because we were never their intended targets, Inuyasha was."

"What?" the three said in unison.

Kagome's mother placed a hand to her forehead. "I can't believe I didn't see it before. They knew how desperate we would be to save one of our own, and only a few of us are strong enough to withstand the poison."

It became apparent that Kikyo was slowly growing an understanding of the situation. "And we all have connections with Kagome."

"Kagome herself might have been a target as well. Regardless, they knew we would be forced to use Inuyasha to save whoever was poisoned."

"For what purpose?" Miroku said, trying to follow.

Kagome's mother looked over at him. "To purge the poison from us, Inuyasha had to take it into himself. It nearly killed him from what I understand. That it didn't makes me believe it was in large part by him breaking the seal."

Sango gasped. "That means—"

"It is reasonable to assume the demon sealed within him took control – at least temporarily."

Kikyo was nodding. "That would certainly explain why Inuyasha suggested a threesome."

"And why Sango's demon insisted Inuyasha help create his mortal shell, they are not separate demons at all, but rather parts of the same one." Her eyes fell on Sango. "The first time completed the contract, but he took advantage of your lust. The following three times were the demon transferring as much of his power Naraku had summoned into this world into his new body." Miroku could see the color had drained from Sango's face. "The reason why Kagome appeared so dejected was because she could sense the amount of energy transferring between you two."

"My god…" Sango sounded on the verge of tears. "This is all my fault. I made this… thing, even more powerful all because I couldn't control myself." Her hands were resting on her stomach. Miroku, not knowing what else he could do, wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close. Her smile was sad, but he knew his support meant everything to her.

There was a brief moment where Kagome's mother gave her a kind smile. "Do not feel guilty. Your desire for more saved my daughter's life."

"I-it did?" Miroku could tell she wasn't sold on the subject.

She nodded. "Kagome only absorbed a small amount. Had you switched with her any time before your fourth and final coupling, she would have ingested a lethal dose."

"But she did ingest _some_," Miroku said, speaking up. "Is she going to be okay?"

Slowly, her mother lifted herself off Kagome's nude body and stepped off the bed. "In time, her body will purge the corruption. We could speed up the process, but I fear that would cause more issues than it is worth." Her eyes were on Kikyo. "What's important now is finding Yumi."

"And Inuyasha," Miroku added.

There was a pause. Far too long a pause in Miroku's mind before she corrected herself. "And Inuyasha," she repeated. Miroku wasn't fooled. Inuyasha was low on her list of concerns.

"Okay, so what do we do?"

"You are to watch over Sango during her pregnancy."

"I fulfilled my contract, we could just… abort it, or something. There's no way I want to bring something this evil into the world."

"While I would normally agree with you, I feel that your… being… inside you is the only thing keeping Yumi alive. The demon knew the contract would be fulfilled at its conception, and took steps to ensure you would carry it to term, and turn it over to its allies upon its birth."

"So this will be a hostage exchange," Miroku said, looking over at Sango.

"One in which time is against us."

Kikyo explained, seeing the confused look on their faces. "Yumi's powers are starting to awaken. The ritual is not only her moving into adulthood, but also forming a body that can hold and harness her powers. If her full powers awaken in her current form…" Her anxious expression was all they needed to see to understand the full weight of the situation.

"And with Yumi, is the fate of our race."

Miroku took a deep breath, looking over at Sango. "Well there is one thing going for us." All three sets of eyes were on him as he continued. "Sooner or later, they are going to have to come to us."

* * *

Inuyasha awoke to a splitting pain in his head. He went to hold his hands against his head, only to find them bound behind his back. Blinking against the bright lights shining down on him, he glanced around, trying to learn where he was.

"Ryuu?" he croaked. _What the fuck happened to me?_ He remembered the bathroom, letting his mental defenses down to allow Ryuu to take control. _But where am I now? _It looked like some sort of warehouse, with brown crates stacked everywhere. Large piles of something were hidden under tarps.

"You will be happy to know Ryuu is gone," a familiar voice said from beside him. Turning his head failed to reveal who it was. Slowly, a large man entered the corner of his vision. "He extinguished the last of his power getting here."

"Small," he rasped, throat dry.

The large man smiled, spreading his hands wide. "We meet again."

"Where am I? What am I doing here?"

"You don't remember? Give it a second, I'm sure the memories will surface – at least partially." He stopped in front of him, clasping his hands behind his back. Inuyasha was just about to speak when his missing block of time slowly came back to him. Ryuu had subdued his consciousness, but failed to wipe his memories. A few seconds and he was recalling the events that led up to his current situation. It wasn't complete, but enough was there.

A wave of nausea ran over him as he recalled the threesome. Breathing heavily, he was forced to relive the horror moment by moment. Kagome readily agreeing to 'his' suggestion; the displeasure in Kagome's eyes not from her sharing him with another woman, but because she wanted her turn, and finally Kagome realizing too late that the man she was with was not her husband.

Mouth open, he gasped for breath as he watched Ryuu knock Yumi out, carrying her to this warehouse near the opposite side of the city. "Yumi," he gasped, weakly looking up at Small. "Where is she?"

"Safe, for now," he said maintaining his smile. "Though I am glad your memories are returning – though I venture to guess they are none too pleasant." He sighed. "You know, I did try to warn you. My clients are not to be messed with."

"Where the _fuck_ is my daughter!" he yelled, summoning every bit of strength he had. His hands strained against his bindings, the chair he was strapped to moved forward slightly. Ultimately, it was useless. Even in his prime, he might not have broken free. In his weakened state, he was nothing. _No, I'm even weaker than before._ He tried to remember when the last time he felt so… frail.

Small clicked his tongue as he waggled his index finger back and forth. "Language dear Inuyasha." His hand disappeared back behind him. "As for your daughter, she is safe, I give you my word."

"Your word means nothing."

"My word is everything. It is I who holds your daughter, and for the moment, your life, in my hands."

"What do you want?" Inuyasha said, his body going slack. He was powerless, defeated. _I can't protect anyone. Not as a half-demon and certainly not as a human._

"It is not what _I_ want, but what my clients want. You see, this is simply business to me, I hold no grudge against you or your family. In fact, I feel terrible about this entire nasty situation."

"Spare me your lies."

The large man sighed dramatically. "It is quite a simple thing really. Sango's child for your child."

"You mean the demon."

Small smiled. "Yes."

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes at him. "What is the purpose of all this? What do you get from this?"

"Yes, that _is_ the question isn't it? Inuyasha, the world is changing. You can't stop change." He began pacing. "The point is surviving the changes. That's what I do, I survive." Stopping, he bent down to match Inuyasha's eye level. "For centuries, I have remained a neutral party in the squabbles of man, demon and god alike. But lately, things are quite boring. The lines are all drawn and everyone stays within their little boxes. I want to add a little spice to life, shake things up a little."

"I don't understand."

"Nor do I expect you to. Regardless, it has nothing to do with you… Mostly." He stood up. "You have your own problems after all. By my calculations, Sango should give birth in about three days. Coincidently, your wonderful Yumi's powers should begin to awaken around the same time." He took a step back so Inuyasha could see the entirety of him. "That doesn't leave a lot of time for error."

"So how does this work?"

He smiled. "I knew you would see reason. It is quite simple. The hospital here is the same that treated you oh so long ago. They are more than capable of handling the birth."

"Then we make the trade there?"

His flabby head nodded once. "It's neutral ground. Once the baby is safely delivered to me, Yumi will be returned to you, unharmed. Afterwards, you are all free to go to do whatever and I will go my own way."

"What's to keep you from taking the baby, then killing her?"

Small looked disgusted. "Kill her? Why would I do such a horrible thing to such a beautiful creature?"

"You say that, yet you take her regardless."

"Only to ensure you keep your end of the bargain, nothing more, nothing less."

Inuyasha tried shifting in his bindings again. "So what happens now?"

Small smiled. Inuyasha was vaguely aware of the other men coming up behind him. "I shall see you in three days." A hand clamped over his nose and mouth. He struggled wildly as his air was cut off. Another man held his chair down as he fought against his bindings. Slowly, the blackness swirled in his vision and the last thing he saw were the lights fading.

* * *

"Yumi!" Kagome cried out, lurching up in bed. A second later, she was throwing up, her body clenching violently. Back on the bed, her body was shivering, both from the cold air against her nude body but also from the strain caused by her vomiting.

"It's okay now," her mother's voice cooed, her hand running along her cheek.

"Yumi…" she groaned. _Inuyasha._ Her eyes widened, but was too weak to sit up again. "Inuyasha… the demon…"

"We know," her mother said, still stroking her cheek. "The demon took over."

_How could this happen? _Her mind was racing, trying to pinpoint exactly when it took over. It couldn't have been for too long. The answer was fairly obvious. _It was when we were discussing what to do with Sango. Was it before, or after though?_ It didn't matter much now. Obviously, the threesome had been its idea. All the odd things Inuyasha had displayed… why didn't she notice it sooner? Had she honestly believed he was capable of all that? That he was enjoying himself fully with Sango?

"Don't blame yourself," her mother said, sensing her thoughts. "We all played right into their hands."

"I'm so glad you're safe," a tearful Sango said, nearly falling atop her as she pulled her into a hug.

Coughing, Kagome patted her friend on the back before she finally released her. "I guess I should thank you."

"For what?" Sango said, wiping her eyes with a smile.

She forced a grin. "For tiring him out." As much as she hated to admit, she was glad she hadn't taken her turn before Sango was completely satisfied.

"I really don't need to be thanked for that." Her eyes fell towards the bed. "I… I'm really sorry. Seeing how I acted then, I really shouldn't have enjoyed it – shouldn't have asked for more."

Kagome reached out, resting a hand on Sango's. It took a considerable amount of effort to move her arm. "Sango, you might find it hard to believe, but I'm glad you enjoyed it regardless of my life being saved because of it." She grinned, patting Sango's hand. "But next time, maybe limit it to two before allowing me a turn."

Sango's eyes widened. "Next time?" Her voice was higher than normal.

"A joke," she said with a weary smirk.

"Right, of course." Sango was good at hiding her feelings. Most would have mistaken her disappointment for relief. Unfortunately for Sango, Kagome knew her very well and easily picked up on it. _Another time,_ she thought. Right now, she had more important things to worry about.

"Here I thought you were finally going to start behaving like a proper succubus again," Kikyo said, leaning against the doorframe, a smirk on her face. She walked over to the edge of the bed, taking their mothers place. "Glad to see you feeling better."

"Better is a relative term."

"Hungry?"

"Famished."

"I figured. Sadly, we haven't been able to locate Inuyasha yet."

"And Yumi?" Kikyo shook her head sadly. "How long?"

"It will be twelve hours in a few minutes," her mother said, arms crossed. "And if you are going to be fit to help look for them, you will need to feed."

"Then we need to find Inuyasha."

"Inuyasha just poisoned you and you are ready to hop right back on and feed from him?" her mother said, anger in her voice.

"He's my husband."

"Kagome, I think it's time you ended this little fantasy you have been living and accept the reality of the situation. It is amazing things have lasted for this long, but it's time you started acting like the succubus you are."

"Mom, I'm not going to do it."

Her mother's patience broke. She moved towards the bed. The only thing that stopped her from physically grabbing her was Kikyo, who stood between them. "How can you be like that when Inuyasha has been with two separate women these last few days?"

"Those weren't his choice!" Kagome cried weakly.

"Well this isn't your choice either!" she bellowed. "You are a succubus! You feed off the energy of the men you sleep with. Wishing it wasn't so isn't going to change that fact!" She pointed her finger towards her angrily. "This was never an issue before you started traveling with him."

"Don't blame him. I make my own decisions."

"And what of your influence on Yumi? Just because you have the luxury of being with one man doesn't mean she will." Kagome was silent as her mother continued. "In case you've forgotten, there are things you have to do as her mother when she comes of age – or are you planning to leave that for someone else as well?"

"No I—! I just figured I would cross that bridge when I came to it," Kagome finished softly, not meeting her mother's gaze. She really hadn't forgotten about it, but with everything else going on, it wasn't a priority. As her mother, Kagome's job was to teach her how to use her powers, and how to seduce her food. She could still remember going out with her mother seemingly ages ago. It had been a few days after her ritual. Kagome's mother brought her to an inn late at night. There, she taught her how to magically charm someone. Of course, Kagome had little control over her powers and ended up dominating her partner, rather than subtly suggesting he follow her like her mother had. Her mother told her charming was a last resort, and with time, she would be able to seduce without the need for magic.

They shared a room that night. Kagome watched as her mother mounted her partner, her lithe form grinding against the groaning man. After feeding, she cleared the bed for Kagome. It was then that Kagome learned the reason why charm magic was used as the last resort. Unlike her mother's partner, who had been happily engaged in the act, her partner was like a mechanical doll. Even now, she could still remember the lifeless stare of his eyes as he entered her, stiffly thrusting in rhythm to a song less beat. Her mother kept careful watch as Kagome pulled the energy from his rigid body, slapping her out of the intoxicating rush of her orgasm before she completely drained the man. It happened to all young succubae. The pleasure was overwhelming and without an elder succubus to bring her back to her senses, it was doubtful the man would survive the feeding. Nearly all deaths resulting from feeding was from a young succubus getting too caught in the moment. Her mother was present for all her feedings the first few months, just to make sure she was fully in control.

Yumi was a special case. Unlike Kagome, she had yet to be fully introduced to sex. When it was time for Kagome's ritual, she had watched her mother with countless men, including multiple at the same time. Yumi may have caught glimpses of her and Inuyasha, but nothing detailed, and from her experience explanations were only so good. Now that her mother had brought it to her attention, her current lifestyle made Yumi woefully unprepared for her new life as an adult. Inuyasha and her had sex behind closed doors, both out of sight and out of mind. She couldn't completely blame Inuyasha's influence for that. Avoiding conflict with the issue was easier than making a stand, explaining it was something she had to do to prepare her. In the end, she was not only sheltering Yumi, but Inuyasha as well.

"Mom, relax," Kikyo said, resting her hands against her shoulders. Gently, she put some distance between the two. "I figured something like this was going to happen. While I was out telling others about the search, I gathered more energy I would be more than happy to share." She looked over at Kagome, a playful glint in her eye. "That is, if that's not taboo now too."

Kagome narrowed her eyes at her sister. "You make it sound like I turned my back on everything."

Kikyo shrugged. "I never know with you." It was another culture difference Kagome knew Inuyasha wouldn't approve of. Much like having dinner together was for humans, it was common for two succubae to share a man. Rarely was the purpose actual feeding, as one man couldn't hope to satisfy two hungry succubae unless he shared Inuyasha's gift. She wondered how Inuyasha would react on learning about it. It was something Kagome never thought about before now. Like she had done so with her mother and sister in the past, she naturally assumed it was something she would do with Yumi as well. Only now did she realize it would be impossible with their current lifestyle.

This actually worried Kagome. Succubae weren't built like humans, and socializing was done differently. In humans, time and shared interests were building blocks of relationships. For the most part, you lived with your family when you were young and you spend time with friends. Closeness is based mostly on how much time you spend with someone and how much you enjoy being with them, the emotions building with time.

For succubae, things worked differently. It was detrimental for too many succubae to be in the same area. Cities were nowhere near the size they were now and most of your food had to come from wandering from village to village. Thus, they tended to spread out more, most moving in pairs or alone. What truly connected families and friends together was bonding through the link. Sharing energy with someone was a sign of trust and love, for linking between two succubae was even more potent than the link she shared with her partner. It was true that Yumi would always be her daughter, but it was heartbreaking to realize there would never be the connection between them as she had with her mother.

It would be something that couldn't be helped now, so Kagome put her thoughts on hold, focusing back on the present. Her mother had crossed her arms, giving a faint 'humph' as she looked over at the two. "At least you haven't completely gone crazy."

Suddenly, Kagome was aware of a missing person. "Where is Miroku?" she asked, glancing over at Sango.

"Passed out on your couch," Kikyo answered. "Took a little extra to make sure you would have enough."

"You mean you fed off him?" Kagome exclaimed, giving Sango a wide-eyed look of exasperation, not quite believing she had allowed it.

Kikyo shrugged. "He volunteered and she didn't protest." She tapped her lips. "Actually quite tasty, but a little short on stamina. He reminds me of a firework, powerful punch but over in a flash." She glanced over at Sango. "Sorry, I bet you don't want to hear this sort of stuff."

Sango shook her head. "It's fine."

"I see why Kagome likes you," she said with a smile. Kikyo's attention was suddenly back on Kagome. "Are you ready? We've been wasting time." Kagome nodded, making an attempt to move into a more comfortable position.

**(Warning: mini Kag/Kik pairing. Look for next bold to skip)**

There were different ways to transfer energy to one another. Kikyo chose the least intimate and fastest method. Pressed together, they locked their lips together. Kagome's legs spread slightly, allowing Kikyo's hand access. Their mother shifted her stance impatiently as Sango watched, wide-eyed at the sight before her. Her moans were muffled by Kikyo's soft lips as their tongues ran against each other. There was silence in the room minus their brief gasps for breath and Kagome's soft moans.

Despite the skilled hand working between her legs, it still took several minutes before Kagome could feel her climax building. Kikyo felt it and increased her pace. Kagome's muted moans grew as her body tensed. Kikyo clamped her mouth over hers as she came. She could feel her strength returning as energy flowed into her. Her orgasm grew even more powerful as her sisters emotions flowed into her. Anger, fear, worry, everything she was feeling, poured into her. At the same moment, Kikyo was receiving her own version based on Kagome.

When Kikyo pulled away, the link severed. Both lay gasping, Kagome slightly more disheveled than her sister. Rolling her head to the side, Kagome watched her pull her slick hand from between her legs.

**(Resume here)**

"It's been too long," Kikyo said, wiping her forehead with her other hand.

"It has," Kagome agreed, suddenly seeing her sister in another light. They had shared what no human ever could. Even her link with Inuyasha was never as powerful or clear as the one she just experienced. Looking over, she found Kikyo staring at her, a look of understanding in her eyes.

With a smile, Kagome patted her sister on the leg before getting up. Seeing her mother standing there, she wondered if the reason they hadn't been getting along lately was related to the length of time they had gone without connecting. If so, she hoped it was something she could avoid with Yumi.

"Better?" her mother asked, eyeing her judgingly.

"Much." It wasn't as powerful as Inuyasha's but it would do in a pinch and hopefully last her long enough to find Inuyasha and Yumi.

"Good. Get dressed. We have work to do."

* * *

**Surprise update! Hopefully there are still some people out there that want this finished.**

**I do feel I need to say something about the direction of the story. Reading my notes on what is planned, I decided to not change course. As such, there will be some uncomfortable parts like in this chapter. Like I did in this chapter, I will mark the sections so you can skip if you choose to, though you may miss things.**

**Again, I am writing this after three years so there will be inconsistencies, especially since my notes are agonizingly sparse. Well, we will see how things go.**


End file.
